[00:00:01]
[1. CALL TO ORDER-6:30 pm]
THIS REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING OF THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.[2. ROLL CALL-6:31 pm (ALL TIMES ARE ESTIMATED)]
LOOK, WE'RE ALL HERE. DIRECTOR GERARD.>> I'M DIRECTOR KATAMS. WE HAVE A FULL QUORUM.
THAT'S WONDERFUL. NEXT, I'LL ASK DR.
MINER TO DO THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
[3. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT-6:32 pm]
>> THANK YOU, DR. KATAMS. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THIS PLACE, THE SADOBAGE PEOPLE, AND THEIR SUCCESSORS, THE TULALIP TRIBES, WHO, SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL, HAVE TAKEN CARE OF, HUNTED, FISHED, AND GATHERED ON THESE LANDS.
WE RESPECT THEIR SOVEREIGNTY, THEIR RIGHT TO SELF DETERMINATION, AND WE HONOR THEIR SACRED SPIRITUAL CONNECTION WITH THE LAND AND WATER.
BY ACKNOWLEDGING THESE HOMELANDS, WE COMMIT TO WORKING WITH TRIBAL NATIONS TO FURTHER THE EDUCATION AIMS THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND SCHOOL.
>> NEXT, IF EVERYBODY WOULD RISE AND JOIN WITH ME WITH THE FLAG SALUTE.
[4. FLAG SALUTE-6:33 pm]
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF TONIGHT'S AGENDA.[5. APPROVAL OF AGENDA-6:34 pm]
DO I HEAR A MOTION IN A SECOND TO APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA AS PRESENTED?>> I'VE HEARD A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
>> AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY.
ANY ABSTENTIONS, AND TONIGHT'S AGENDA IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
NEXT, ONE OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS IS A CELEBRATION.
[6. CELEBRATION- 6:35 pm]
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR. MINER.>> BEFORE WE BEGIN THAT, I WILL SAY WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL SEATS AVAILABLE IN THE FRONT.
I SEE THAT WE'RE SETTING UP SOME OTHER CHAIRS, BUT THERE ARE THREE SEATS UP HERE.
BUT WE'RE VERY EXCITED FOR WINTER SPORTS RECOGNITION TONIGHT, AND I WILL INVITE ANGIE MAGUIRE, DISTRICT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, FORWARD TO SHARE SOME IMPORTANT RECOGNITIONS WITH US THIS EVENING.
>> HI, EVERYBODY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
IF I COULD HAVE MY FIRST GROUP OF STUDENT ATHLETES COME ON, IT WOULD BE ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES FROM THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, JUST NOT THE BASKETBALL TEAM.
EVERYBODY EXCEPT THE BASKETBALL TEAM.
COME ON UP, AND YOU'RE JUST GOING TO LINE UP RIGHT HERE IN FRONT.
NOT ALL AT ONCE, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE CRAZY. THANK YOU, HANNAH.
[APPLAUSE] I FIRST WANT TO THANK THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR GIVING US THIS TIME OUT OF YOUR MEETING TONIGHT TO RECOGNIZE THESE WONDERFUL STUDENT ATHLETES, KIARA AND AUDREY, YOU GUYS CAN COME UP TO.
I'M JUST CURIOUS. HOW MANY OF YOU THIS YOUR FIRST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING? LET'S SEE A SHOW HAND.
STUDENTS. THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, AND OUR SCHOOL BOARD DOES A LOT TO SUPPORT ATHLETICS, SO IT'S REALLY GREAT THAT THEY GIVE US THE TIME TONIGHT TO RECOGNIZE THESE STUDENT ATHLETES.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE FAMILIES AND SUPPORTERS IN THE ROOM, RAISE YOUR HAND.
IF YOU HAVE SOME CONNECTION TO ANY STUDENT ATHLETE WE ARE RECOGNIZING TO TONIGHT.
[APPLAUSE] NOT JUST THESE STUDENT ATHLETES, BUT ALSO THE TEAM THAT WE'LL RECOGNIZE IN A FEW MOMENTS.
IT TAKES A LOT TO GET THEM TO THEIR COMPETITIONS, FED, CLEAN SOCKS, UNIFORMS, GOGGLES, SWIM CAPS, WHO KNOWS, ALL OF IT, WRESTLING SHOES, JUST FINDING EVERYTHING, AND ALSO JUST THE MORAL SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED THEIR ENTIRE LIVES TO GET THEM TO WHERE THEY ARE TODAY.
THANK YOU FAMILIES. THEN, COACHES, IF I COULD GET A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR COACHES IN THE ROOM.
[APPLAUSE] COACHES, RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE HAVE SOME COACHES HERE, AND ALSO SOME TEACHERS.
WE HAVE SOME TEACHERS HERE, TOO, SO THANKS FOR GETTING OUT TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENT ATHLETES.
I'M GOING TO START WITH OUR LINWOOD STUDENT ATHLETES.
IF I COULD JUST HAVE VENUS HERNANDEZ STEP FORWARD, FIRST, A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR VENUS.
[APPLAUSE] VENUS IS A WRESTLER AT LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, AND HER COACH SAYS THAT HER DEDICATION TO WRESTLING AND HER TEAM IS UNMATCHED.
SHE PUTS IN EXTRA WORK, ATTENDS ALL OPTIONAL PRACTICES, AND IS ALWAYS FOCUSED.
ANYONE IN THE FUTURE WILL HIRE YOU BECAUSE OF THOSE SKILLS. NICE JOB.
[00:05:03]
VENUS IS QUALIFIED FOR DISTRICTS IN STATE THIS YEAR.AT STATE, SHE BATTLED BACK THROUGH THE CONSOLATION SIDE OF THE BRACKET TO FINISH IN THE TOP 12 OUT OF 32 IN HER WEIGHT CLASS.
HER COACH SAID SHE CAME OFF THE MAT SMILING AFTER HER MATCH, EVEN THOUGH SHE LOST, SHE SAID SHE'D WRESTLED HER BEST AND HAD SO MUCH FUN.
VENUS IS A JUNIOR, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT SHE DOES NEXT YEAR AS WELL, BUT CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT SEASON, VENUS.
[APPLAUSE] THEN I'LL TAKE THE RELAY TEAM STEP FORWARD.
WE HAVE THE 200 MEDLEY AND 400 FREE RELAY TEAM, EVAN CALKINS.
[APPLAUSE] FRESHMAN EVAN CALKINS, JUNIOR CALEB SCHMITZ.
[APPLAUSE] FRESHMAN RYAN TANG, [APPLAUSE] AND SENIOR ALEX LEE.
[APPLAUSE] AS YOU CAN ALREADY TELL WITH TWO FRESHMEN AND A JUNIOR ON THE SQUAD, THEY'RE GOING TO BE TALENTED NEXT YEAR AS WELL.
A FEW THINGS, HIGHLIGHTS ABOUT THIS TEAM, AND THEY ARE THE SAME GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WHO FILLED THEIR 200 MEDLEY RELAY AND THEIR 400 FREE RELAY.
THEY HAD A GREAT SEASON IN BOTH EVENTS.
THEY RECEIVED SECOND TEAM ALL WESCO IN THE 200 MEDLEY RELAY, AND ALSO IN THE 400 FREE.
THEIR 200 MEDLEY RELAY TOOK SECOND PLACE AT THE DISTRICT SWIM MEET AND BROKE A SCHOOL RECORD WHILE THEY DID IT.
THEIR 400 FREE RELAY TOOK THIRD PLACE AT DISTRICTS QUALIFYING FOR STATE AS WELL.
AT THE STATE MEET, THEIR MEDLEY RELAY PLACED 12TH, THE 400 RELAY 16TH.
IN THE 400 RELAY THIS SEASON, AND THIS IS A REALLY IMPRESSIVE STAT, THIS TEAM BROKE A 27-YEAR-OLD LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL RECORD FOR THE 400 FREE RELAY.
[APPLAUSE] IT'S IMPRESSIVE ALONE TO BREAK A 27-YEAR-OLD RECORD, BUT THEY DID IT BY 4.31 SECONDS.
THEY DIDN'T JUST BREAK IT. THEY SHATTERED IT.
I WANTED TO ALSO SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT ALEX.
ALEX, COULD YOU JUST RAISE YOUR HAND OR STEP FORWARD? ALEX IS OUR LONE SENIOR ON THIS TEAM.
HE WAS RECEIVED FIRST TEAM ALL WESCO HONORS IN THE 100 BACKSTROKE AND WAS A DISTRICT CHAMPION IN THE 100 BACK.
HE ALSO COMPETED AS AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE 100 BACK AT STATE AND EARNED AN EIGHTH PLACE FINISH AND ALSO SET A NEW SCHOOL RECORD IN THAT EVENT AS WELL.
CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT CAREER, ALEX.
[APPLAUSE] THANKS, YOU GUYS. GREAT JOB THIS SEASON.
UP NEXT, WE'VE GOT MADODALE FROM MADODALE HIGH SCHOOL.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH CHRISTOPHER RAMIREZ.
[APPLAUSE] CHRIS IS HERE REPRESENTING HIS WRESTLING TEAM.
HE RECEIVED FIRST TEAM ALL WESCO HONORS IN HIS WEIGHT CLASS.
HE IS A TWO-TIME DISTRICT CHAMPION, AND THAT HE IS CURRENTLY A JUNIOR.
THAT MEANS HE WON THE DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP AS A SOPHOMORE, AND AGAIN, THIS YEAR AS A JUNIOR, WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO IN A TOUGH DIVISION.
HE HAD AN OUTSTANDING STATE APPEARANCE THIS YEAR.
HE TOOK FIFTH IN STATE IN HIS WEIGHT CLASS.
COACH SAYS CHRIS IS GOOD AT MAKING PREDICTIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE.
LAST YEAR, HE PREDICTED THAT HE WOULD WIN A DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP, AND HE DID.
THEN THIS YEAR, HE PREDICTED THAT HE WOULD WIN A DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP AND PLACE AT STATE, AND HE DID.
I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT YOUR PREDICTIONS ARE FOR NEXT SEASON, NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. CONGRATULATIONS, CHRIS.
[APPLAUSE] THEN FROM THE MATANE GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM, WE HAVE AUDREY LUCAS AND KARA ROSEN, BOTH SENIORS.
[APPLAUSE] I'M GOING TO SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT AUDREY FIRST.
AUDREY EARNED FIRST TEAM ALL WESCO HONORS.
SHE SHOT AN IMPRESSIVE 61.7% FROM THE FIELD, VERY EFFICIENT SHOOTING AROUND THE HOOP.
SHE ALSO LED HER TEAM IN REBOUNDS WITH 142 ON THE SEASON.
HER COACH SAID HAD A CALM PRESENCE AND DELIVERED IN HIGH PRESSURE MOMENTS.
THIS WAS EVIDENT LAST WEEK WHEN I WATCHED AUDREY PLAY AT THE COMA DOME AGAINST BELLEVUE.
SHE SCORED 28 POINTS IN THAT GAME REALLY GIVING EVERYTHING SHE HAD TO KEEP HER TEAM GOING.
CONGRATS ON A GREAT CAREER AT MADODALE HIGH SCHOOL, AUDREY. WE'RE PROUD OF YOU.
[APPLAUSE] THEN NEXT TO HER, KIA ROSEN, ALSO A SENIOR.
KIA ALSO EARNED FIRST TEAM ALL WESCO HONORS FOR HER POSITION AT GUARD MADODALE HIGH SCHOOL.
[00:10:01]
SHE SHOT AN IMPRESSIVE 61.5% THIS YEAR, HER FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE, WHICH HER COACH CREDITS TO HER TAKING REALLY SMART SHOTS AND BEING EFFICIENT WITH THE BALL.SHE LED HER TEAM WITH 122 ASSISTS ON THE SEASON.
HER COACH ALSO SAID SHE'S A VOCAL LEADER, AND HER LEADERSHIP WAS A KEY FACTOR IN KEEPING THE TEAM COMPOSED DURING TOUGH MOMENTS, LIKE THE WINNER TO STATE LOSER OUT GAME AGAINST SNOHOMISH, WHICH THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS AT ON THAT SATURDAY MORNING, AND JUST A SOLID, REALLY CALM PRESENCE ON THE COURT.
YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN A VIRAL VIDEO OF KIARA TAKING A LAST SECOND SHOT AGAINST STANWOOD.
SHE HAD THIS AMAZING BUZZER BEATER THAT HAD SOME GOOD HANG TIME ON IT, AND YOU CAN SEE IT.
THERE'S A VIDEO ON IT ONLINE FROM A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ANGLES.
KIARA HAS BEEN SO MUCH FUN TO WATCH YOU PLAY, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT SEASON.
[APPLAUSE] ON TO MOUNT LAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL, AND REPRESENTING THE WRESTLING TEAM AT MOUNT LAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL.
ISAAC WILLIAMS. [APPLAUSE] ISAAC IS A SENIOR.
HE FINISHED HIS WRESTLING CAREER WITH OVER 100 CAREER WINS.
HE WRAPPED UP HIS SENIOR YEAR WITH A RECORD OF 39 AND NINE.
HE IS A THREE-TIME DISTRICT FINALIST, A TWO-TIME DISTRICT CHAMPION LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR.
THIS YEAR, DOWN AT THE MATT CLASSIC AT STATE, HE TOOK EIGHTH IN HIS WEIGHT CLASS.
HE'S BEEN A CAPTAIN TWO YEARS IN A ROW, AND HIS COACH, WHO HAPPENS TO BE HERE TONIGHT, AS WELL, SAYS HE'S THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT YOU WANT YOUR TEAM TO MODEL AFTER WHICH AS COACHES, IT JUST PAYS DIVIDENDS FOR YEARS TO COME WHEN YOU HAVE AN ATHLETE LIKE THAT, WHERE YOU HAVE YOUNGER ATHLETES THAT LOOK UP TO THEM AND JUST KNOW THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT.
CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT CAREER AT MOUNT LAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL, ISAAC.
[APPLAUSE] THEN FROM THE GIRLS WRESTLING PROGRAM AT MATTHEW LIA'S HIGH SCHOOL, NILA LOPEZ HERNANDEZ, AND ROCHELLE OBERT.
[APPLAUSE] IT'S PRETTY AMAZING.
WE HAVE A LOT OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR GIRLS WRESTLING PROGRAM, AND THESE TWO REALLY HELD IT DOWN OVER AT MOUNT LAKE TERRACE.
YOUR COACH SENT IN THOUGHTS ABOUT YOU THAT APPLIED TO BOTH OF YOU.
NILA IS A SENIOR, RACHELLE IS A JUNIOR.
NILA WON THE DEFEND THE DEN TOURNAMENT THIS YEAR AT CASCADE HIGH SCHOOL.
RACHELLE TOOK THIRD, SO THEY STARTED OFF THE SEASON STRONG.
BOTH WERE TEAM CAPTAINS AND BOTH LED FALL AND WINTER WORKOUTS IN THE WEIGHT ROOM.
THEIR COACH SAID THAT BOTH PUT IN MORE EXTRA WORK BEFORE AND AFTER PRACTICE THAN ANY OTHER WRESTLER IN THE MOUNT LAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING PROGRAM TOTAL.
THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT YOU BOTH.
AT DISTRICTS, NILA AND RACHELLE BOTH DEFEATED OPPONENTS THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY LOST TO EARLIER IN THE SEASON IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR STATE AND REPRESENT MOUNT LAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL DOWN AT THE MATT CLASSIC.
I WAS DOWN THERE AND SAW ALL 22 MATS GOING AT THE SAME TIME.
IT WAS A PRETTY OUTSTANDING EVENT, AND SO COOL THAT YOU GUYS WERE A PART OF IT.
THEIR COACH CREDITS THIS TO THEIR DETERMINATION AND BECAUSE THEY ARE BOTH SUCH GREAT LISTENERS.
NILA, CONGRATS ON A GREAT CAREER, AND RACHELLE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON THE MATT NEXT YEAR.
[APPLAUSE] THEN THE ONE ATHLETE UP THERE I HAVEN'T SPOKEN ABOUT YET, HANNAH BALL DOCK FROM EDMONDS WOOD WAY.
[APPLAUSE] TRUTH BE TOLD, WE USUALLY DON'T HAVE PEOPLE HERE TWICE, AND HANNAH, YOU WERE HERE LAST YEAR, BUT YOU HAD SUCH AN OUTSTANDING SEASON THAT WE JUST HAD TO HAVE YOU BACK AGAIN.
HANNAH EARNED FIRST TEAM ALL WESCO HONORS THIS YEAR.
SHE WAS THE FIRST FEMALE WRESTLER AT EDMONDS WOOD WAY TO RECORD 100 CAREER WINS, AND 72 CAREER PINS.
WIN IS ONE THING. PIN IS ANOTHER.
THAT'S AN IMPRESSIVE STAT. VERY COOL.
HANNAH DOWN AT THE MATT CLASSIC, DEFEATED AN ATHLETE FROM KELSO IN THE STATE SEMIFINALS, THAT SHE HAD LOST TO PREVIOUSLY IN THE SCHOOL YEAR.
SHE DEFEATED HER TO GET TO THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH.
SHE DOMINATED HER BRACKET AT THE MATT CLASSIC AND WON
[00:15:02]
THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP OUT WITH A CONVINCING SCORE OF 13 TO TWO.I HAD SEEN YOU WRESTLE EARLIER IN THE WEEK.
I WATCHED THAT ONE ONLINE, AND WHEN I SAY IT WAS CONVINCING, IT WAS CONVINCING.
[LAUGHTER] HANNAH IS THE FIRST EVER EDMONDS WOODWAY GIRLS WRESTLING STATE CHAMPION [APPLAUSE] WHICH IS VERY IMPRESSIVE, AND SHE'S ALSO THE FIRST EVER EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT GIRLS WRESTLING STATE CHAMPION.
[APPLAUSE] WE'RE GOING TO GET A PICTURE WITH THIS GROUP.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FIRST GROUP, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
YOU'RE GONNA GET A PICTURE WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD.
>> LET'S GIVE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THESE GUYS.
YOU GUYS CAN GO AHEAD AND HAVE A SEAT. YOU CAN HAVE A SEAT.
GOOD JOB. THEN AS THEY'RE MOVING BACK TO THEIR SEATS, CAN I GET THE EDMONDS WOODWAY BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM TO START MOVING FORWARD? THIS TEAM LITERALLY JUST ENDED THEIR SEASON.
THEY PLAYED IN THE ABSOLUTE LAST POSSIBLE GAME THAT A 3A BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM CAN PLAY IN DOWN AT THE STATE TOURNAMENT.
I'M GOING TO READ OFF THEIR NAMES, AND THEN WE'LL SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE TEAM.
JUST STEP FORWARD SO SHE KNOWS WHO YOU ARE.
FOR TWO THERE. GRANT WILLIAMS IS HERE.
GRANT. IF YOU COULD GIVE THE SUPERINTENDENT A LITTLE WAVE, SO SHE KNOWS WHO YOU ARE, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. DECLAN CRAWFORD.
CAMERON HYATT. WILLIAM ALSETH.
HARRIS DOBSON AND JOAQUIN ESCANDON.
THEN OUR TWO COACHES HERE TONIGHT THAT WE DON'T HAVE CERTIFICATES FOR YOU GUYS, SORRY, BUT ASSISTANT COACH, STEVE ESCANDON, WHO'S A TEACHER AT EDMONDS WOODWAY, AND HEAD COACH, TYLER GEVING, WHO'S ALSO A TEACHER AT EDMONDS WOODWAY.
THIS TEAM WON A WEST COST SOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP.
THEY PLAYED THE TOUGHEST DEFENSE PROBABLY IN THE STATE I WOULD SAY, IF ANY WENT AROUND.
THEY MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR OTHER TEAMS TO SCORE.
I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A TRUSTED SOURCE THAT WHAT YOU GUYS DO IS YOU GET IN THE SPACES WHERE OTHER TEAMS WANT TO GO, WHICH TAKES THEM COMPLETELY OUT OF WHAT THEY WANT TO DO OFFENSIVELY.
I SAW THAT IN SO MANY GAMES THIS SEASON.
THEY FINISHED THEIR SEASON 26 AND THREE.
IN THEIR HISTORIC STATE TOURNAMENT RUN, THEY DEFEATED BELLEVUE, 66 TO 56, DEFEATED LINCOLN, 73 TO 36, MOUNT SPOKANE IN THE STATE SEMIFINALS, 41 TO 34.
THEN SATURDAY AT 5:00 PM, THEY PLAYED IN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AGAINST A TOUGH RAINIER BEACH TEAM, AND THEY FINISHED SECOND IN STATE FOR 3A.
[00:20:04]
WHEN I SAID THAT THIS WAS A HISTORIC STATE TOURNAMENT RUN, WHAT I MEANT BY THAT IS THAT THIS IS THE HIGHEST FINISH OF ANY BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM IN EDMONDS HIGH SCHOOL, EDMONDS WOODWAY HIGH SCHOOL, AND EDMONDS WOODWAY HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY.EDMONDS WOODWAY AND EDMONDS WOODWAY, GOING BACK TO EDMONDS HIGH 1909-1990, WOODWAY '67-'90, AND EDMONDS WOODWAY '91 TO NOW, YOU GUYS MADE HISTORY BY BEING THE TOP FINISHING TEAM.
A COUPLE OF STAND OUT HONORS TO RECOGNIZE ON THIS TEAM, ALL-LEAGUE HONORS.
FIRST TEAM, ALL-WESCO CAMERON HIGH, WILLIAM ALSETH.
THEN ALSO RECEIVING ALL-WESCO RECOGNITION, GRANT WILLIAMS, SECOND TEAM, AND D. J. CARL AND JULIAN GRAY, HONORABLE MENTION. CONGRATULATIONS, YOU GUYS.
ALSO, IN ADDITION TO THE TEAM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT SENIOR CAM HYATT.
HE RECEIVED MVP OF THE LEAGUE.
HE SHOT 53% FROM THE FIELD THIS SEASON, WHICH WAS SUPER IMPRESSIVE.
IN THAT STATE TOURNAMENT RUN, HE SCORED 37 AGAINST BELLEVUE, 33 AGAINST LINCOLN AND 28 IN THE SEMI-FINALS AGAINST MOUNT SPOKANE.
HE'LL PLAY IN THE ALL-STATE GAME AND THE WASHINGTON OREGON GAME.
HE WILL TAKE HIS 4.0 GPA TO DARTMOUTH NEXT FALL, WHERE HE'S GOING TO PLAY BASKETBALL.
CONGRATULATIONS, CAM, ON A GREAT SENIOR SEASON.
I JUST WANT TO FINISH BY TALKING ABOUT, AND THIS IS MORE SO TO YOU GUYS ON THIS TEAM, WHAT IT HAS MEANT FOR THIS COMMUNITY TO HAVE A TEAM GO ACHIEVE WHAT YOU ACHIEVED TOGETHER.
WHAT IT MEANS TO THE COMMUNITY, I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE HAVE SEEN FOOTAGE OF WHAT OUR STANDS LOOKED LIKE DOWN AT TACOMA DOME, HOW MANY PEOPLE, NOT JUST FROM THE EDMONDS WOODWAY COMMUNITY, BUT FROM EDMONDS, LYNNWOOD, MOUNTLAKE TERRACE, THAT CAME DOWN, DROVE DOWN TO TACOMA TO WATCH YOU GUYS PLAY, AND TO CHEER YOU ON WAS REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
WE HAD LOCAL RESTAURANTS IN EDMONDS, WHO WERE STREAMING THE GAME WITH SNO-KING YOUTH CLUB TEAMS EATING PIZZA AND WATCHING THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, HOPING THAT SOMEDAY MAYBE THEY CAN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT TOO.
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT YOU'VE MEANT TO THE COMMUNITY, AND ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE WATCHED YOU, CHEERED FOR YOU, AND NOT JUST THAT YOU PLAYED AND DID IT, BUT HOW YOU PLAYED THE GAME AND HOW YOU COMPETED TOGETHER.
EVERY SINGLE POSSESSION, EVERY SINGLE DEFENSIVE STOP, SO MUCH FUN TO WATCH.
I ALSO WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR NEWEST BASKETBALL SUPER FAN BEHIND ME AND THE SUPERINTENDENT, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT HELEN JONG.
CAN YOU STAND UP, HELEN? SHE HAS HER STATE BASKETBALL SWEATSHIRT ON TONIGHT.
SHE WENT DOWN TO TACOMA TWICE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU GUYS ON AN OUTSTANDING SEASON.
THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT IS PROUD OF YOU.
SORRY. TYLER, WE NEED A PICTURE.
I'M TOO EXCITED TALKING ABOUT THE TEAM.
WE MIGHT NEED THE SCHOOL BOARD TO COME IN.
DO YOU GUYS WANT TO COME AROUND? ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR THIS TIME.
STUDENT ATHLETES, YOU GUYS ARE FREE TO GO.
I'M SURE YOU HAVE HOMEWORK AND OTHER THINGS GOING ON. THANK YOU.
>> AS ALWAYS, ANGIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE AS THEY'RE LEAVING THE BUILDING.
[APPLAUSE] WE'LL GET A SLOW START
[7. SUPERINTENDENT REPORT-6:45 pm]
TO MY SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT HERE, WHICH IS COMING UP NEXT.TONIGHT, AS PROMISED, MY SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT IS LARGELY AN UPDATED AROUND THE GRADING PRACTICES.
WE PUT TOGETHER A LITTLE SLIDE SHOW SO THAT YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT.
[00:25:09]
AS YOU RECALL, WHEN YOU PASSED THE RESOLUTION, WE PUT SOME DATES IN THERE THAT I WOULD SHARE UPDATES, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE UPDATES.THE TASK FORCE HELD THEIR SECOND MEETING ON FEBRUARY 26TH.
THE AGENDA OF THAT MEETING INCLUDED DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF DRAFTS OF THE PURPOSE OF GRADING STATEMENTS.
ADDITIONALLY, THEY HAD A DISCUSSION OF EQUAL INTERVAL GRADING, A PRESENTATION BY OUR VERY OWN SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT, DR. NANCY KATAMS, AND THEN A QUESTION AND ANSWER WITH DR. KATAMS. AS A REMINDER, THEY DO HAVE INFORMATION UP ON THE WEBSITE WITH A SUMMARY OF WHAT HAPPENS AT THESE MEETINGS IF ANYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY IS INTERESTED IN THAT.
SPEAKING OF INTERVALS, SEEMED LIKE A SMALL INTERVAL BETWEEN THOSE TWO MEETINGS, BUT THEY WILL MEET AGAIN ON MARCH 12TH.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A STUDY SESSION REGARDING GRADING PRACTICES ON APRIL 29TH.
AS A REMINDER STUDY SESSIONS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, SO ANYONE CAN COME AND WATCH THAT AND HEAR WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING.
THEN I'LL GIVE ANOTHER UPDATE DURING MY REPORT AT THE BOARD MEETING ON MAY 27TH.
>> THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO ADD, PARTICULARLY A THANK YOU TO THE TASK FORCE, BECAUSE I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE LEVEL OF DISCUSSION, QUESTIONS, THINKING, BRINGING UP A LOT OF ISSUES, A LOT OF CARING THOUGHT AND REFLECTION ABOUT GRADING PRACTICES AND TRYING TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR INTERESTS ARE AND IN TERMS OF WHAT THIS MEANS FOR KIDS AND KIDS OUTCOMES.
I WANT TO, PARTICULARLY, ALSO, THANK JASON AYLERD [PHONETIC] FOR ALL OF THE WORK HE'S BEEN DOING WITH THE TASK FORCE.
I REALLY ENJOYED MEETING WITH THEM.
I FOUND IT TO BE A VERY ENLIGHTENING INTERACTION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT AND THAT UPDATE.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
[8. APPROVAL OF MINUTES-6:50 pm]
THERE ARE TWO SETS OF MINUTES.ONE IS APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 25TH, 2025, SPECIAL MEETING WHERE WE DISCUSS GRADUATION RATES IN A STUDY SESSION.
THE OTHER IS APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 25TH, 2025, REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING.
DO I HEAR A MOTION AND A SECOND?
>> I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 25TH SPECIAL MEETING AND THE FEBRUARY 25TH REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
ANY ABSTENTIONS? THE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 25TH SPECIAL MEETING AND THE FEBRUARY 25TH REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING ARE APPROVED.
NEXT, WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[9. PUBLIC COMMENTS-7:00 pm]
THE GUIDELINES REGARDING PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE.THEY'RE ON EACH BOARD MEETING AGENDA, AND THERE'S A COPY ON THE TABLE WHERE PEOPLE SIGN IN TO MAKE A COMMENT.
WE ASK THAT YOU LIMIT YOUR COMMENT TO THREE MINUTES.
A TIMER WILL BE RUNNING SO THAT YOU CAN MONITOR YOUR TIME.
PLEASE BE SURE TO TELL US YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENTS, YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE DISTRICT, AND THE AGENDA ITEM OR SCHOOL DISTRICT TOPIC THAT YOU'RE ADDRESSING TONIGHT.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE MADE FROM THIS FRONT PODIUM FACING US AND ARE DIRECTED TO THE BOARD, NOT TO THE AUDIENCE.
FIRST, TONIGHT, WE HAVE RILEY GUTHRIE.
I GUESS I SHOULD SAY RILEY GUTHRIE AND FRIENDS.
I LIVE IN LYNNWOOD, AND I GO TO MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL. MY BAD.
I'M TSIMSHIAN ALASKA NATIVE, AND I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE BOARDING SCHOOL RESOLUTION.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A PRAYER SONG CALLED WAR PARTY., TAUGHT TO US BY [INAUDIBLE] [MUSIC]
[00:31:22]
>> [FOREIGN] NATIVE VILLAGE OF [INAUDIBLE]
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS LIZ HERMAN. I'M [INAUDIBLE].
MY FAMILY IS FROM PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND IN ALASKA, AND WE'RE FROM THE NATIVE VILLAGE OF EYAK.
I ATTEND MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE I AM A MEMBER OF THE INDIGENOUS STUDENT UNION.
I AM ALSO AN INTERNET URBAN NATIVE EDUCATION ALLIANCE, A NATIVE YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM.
ISU AND UNEA HAVE PARTNERED TO WRITE A RESOLUTION THAT WE ARE PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY.
THE RESOLUTION IS CALLING FOR YOU, THE SCHOOL BOARD, TO IMPLEMENT BOARDING SCHOOL CURRICULUM AND TO DESIGNATE SEPTEMBER 30, AS EVERY CHILD MATTERS DAY, ALSO AS ORANGE SHIRT DAY AND REMEMBRANCE AND TRIBUTE TO BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN HOW THE HISTORY AND ABUSE AT BOARDING SCHOOLS CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE NATIVE COMMUNITY TODAY.
I PERSONALLY KNOW PEOPLE WHO WERE SENT TO BOARDING SCHOOLS AND LEARNED ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES AND STRUGGLES THAT THEY FELT AND STILL FEEL.
I HAVE KNOWN PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGES OUT OF FEAR OF PUNISHMENT THAT THEY RECEIVED WHEN ATTENDING THESE SCHOOLS.
I'M ASKING FOR YOU TO PASS THE RESOLUTION BECAUSE WHILE THIS WON'T MAGICALLY CHANGE ALL THE TRAUMA THAT PEOPLE HAVE FELT, IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO START. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
DID I SAY THAT CORRECTLY? COULD YOU TELL ME HOW YOU SAY IT?
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS BRENNAN BAHE.
I'M A STUDENT AT MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL AND A MEMBER OF THE MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL INDIGENOUS STUDENT UNION.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL BOARD PASSING THE RESOLUTION OF URBAN NATIVE EDUCATION ALLIANCE AND MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL INDIGENOUS STUDENT UNION, CALLING FOR BOARDING SCHOOL EDUCATION IN EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WHEREAS WE, THE MEMBERS OF URBAN NATIVE EDUCATION ALLIANCE AND MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL INDIGENOUS STUDENT UNION, INVOKE THE BLESSINGS OF THE CREATOR IN ALL OUR EFFORTS TO ADVOCATE FOR BOARDING SCHOOL EDUCATION AND EVERY CHILD MATTERS DAY IN ALL K-12 SCHOOLS IN WASHINGTON STATE.
WHEREAS, BETWEEN THE EARLY 1800S AND THE 1960S, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN INDIAN, ALASKA NATIVE, AND NATIVE HAWAIIAN CHILDREN WERE REMOVED FROM THEIR FAMILIES AND TRIBES AND PLACED IN OVER 523 INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS OPERATED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND CHURCHES.
WHEREAS, BOARDING SCHOOLS ATTEMPTED TO DESTROY NATIVE CULTURES THROUGH ASSIMILATION PRACTICES AND FEDERAL POLICIES AIMED TO KILL THE INDIAN, SAVE THE MAN.
THE FEDERAL INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL POLICY WAS EXPRESSLY INTENDED TO ACCOMPLISH CULTURAL GENOCIDE, THE SYSTEMATIC DESTRUCTION OF INDIGENOUS IDENTITIES, TRADITIONS, CEREMONIES, SPIRITUALITY, AND LANGUAGE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> NEXT IS ROYAL OLABAR HUGHES.
>> MY NAME IS ROYAL OLABAR HUGHES. I LIVE IN SEATTLE.
I'M AN INTERN AT URBAN NATIVE EDUCATION ALLIANCE, WHERE I WORK ALONGSIDE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL BOARD PASSING RESOLUTION OF THE URBAN NATIVE EDUCATION ALLIANCE IN MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL INDIGENOUS STUDENT UNION, CALLING FOR BOARDING SCHOOL EDUCATION IN EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WHEREAS, MANY NATIVE CHILDREN DIED AT INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS, AND THEY WERE INERT IN CEMETERIES IN UNMARKED GRAVES AT THE SCHOOL AWAY FROM THEIR ANCESTRAL LAND.
[00:35:01]
THESE AMERICAN INDIANS AND AMERICAN CHILDREN, WE'RE NOT GIVEN TRADITIONAL AND RESPECTFUL BURIALS.WE HONOR AND REMEMBER THE NAMES OF ALL INDIAN CHILDREN, INCLUDING BUFFALO CHIEF, STAR BOY, AND WHIRLWIND SOLDIER.
WHEREAS, MANY INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA, COMPOUNDED BY SYSTEMATIC OPPRESSION, RACISM, SPIRITUAL, AND CULTURAL, AND FAMILIAL.
DISRUPTION DUE TO INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL POLICIES.
WHEREAS, SEPTEMBER 30 IS RECOGNIZED AS EVERY CHILD MATTERS DAY OR ORANGE SHIRT DAY.
IS A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OF BOTH SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS AND ACKNOWLEDGES THE IMPACT OF INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA ON INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES, DUE TO THE EVERLASTING TRAUMA OF BOARDING SCHOOLS ACROSS TURTLE ISLAND. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I'M AN INTERN WITH URBAN NATIVE EDUCATION ALLIANCE, WHERE I WORK ALONGSIDE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL BOARD PASSING THE RESOLUTION OF URBAN NATIVE EDUCATION ALLIANCE AND MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL, INDIGENOUS STUDENTS UNION CALLING FOR BOARDING SCHOOL EDUCATION IN EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WHEREAS, EVERY CHILD MATTERS DAY, ALSO KNOWN AS ORANGE SHIRT DAY IS RECOGNIZED ACROSS INDIAN COUNTRY AS A DAY TO WEAR THE COLOR ORANGE AS A WAY OF AFFIRMING THAT EVERY CHILD MATTERS AND TO ENGAGE DISCUSSIONS AND EDUCATE ON THE TRUTHS OF UNITED STATES BOARDING SCHOOLS.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT UNEA AND THE MTHSISU HEREBY ADVISE ALL WASHINGTON STATE K-12 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE TO EDUCATE STUDENTS ON THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL BOARDING SCHOOL POLICIES THROUGH THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVORS AND OTHER PRIMARY RESOURCES SUCH AS DOCUMENTARIES, RESEARCH, SINCE TIME IN MEMORIAL CURRICULUM, TRIBAL HISTORIANS, TRIBAL MUSEUMS, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN INDIAN 360 CURRICULUM, AND THE NATIONAL BOARDING SCHOOL HEALING COALITION ORGANIZATION.
NOW, BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT UNEA WILL ADVOCATE FOR EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT TO IMPLEMENT BOARDING SCHOOL CURRICULUM, EDUCATE STUDENTS, STAFF, AND EDUCATORS, AND DESIGNATE SEPTEMBER 30, EVERY CHILD MATTERS DAY OR ORANGE SHIRT DAY, AND REMEMBRANCE AND TRIBUTE TO BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVORS AND THE VICTIMS. HEALING THE WOUNDS OF BOARDING SCHOOL INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA THROUGH EDUCATION, REMEMBRANCE, AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT, [FOREIGN].
>> HI. MY NAME IS OLIVIA ANDRES, AND I'M [INAUDIBLE].
I'M A FIRST YEAR INTERN AT UNEA, AS WELL AS AN EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENT.
I REMEMBER LEARNING ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS AS A KID AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT AS WHO I WAS.
MY CLASS WOULD BE SHOWN VIDEOS OF SMOKE DANCERS DANCING AROUND A FIRE AND LONGHOUSES WITH STORIES OF THE FAMILIES WHO LIVED THERE.
I DON'T QUITE RECALL WHEN I FIRST LEARNED ABOUT BOARDING SCHOOLS AND THE ATROCITIES THAT WERE COMMITTED IN THEM.
BUT I REMEMBER THAT IN THE EIGHTH GRADE, WE HAD A UNIT LEARNING ABOUT IT.
LAST SUMMER, I WENT TO A PRESENTATION BY A LAKOTA ROSEBUD ELDER, MATTHEW WAR BONNET.
HE SPOKE ABOUT HIS TIME IN THE SCHOOLS AND HIS EXPERIENCES AFTER THEM.
WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED, A MAN ADMITTED THAT HE HAD NEVER KNOWN ABOUT INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS AND THE TRANSGRESSIONS THAT OCCURRED AGAINST INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.
IT IS ALL OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO LEARN ABOUT THE CRUELTIES THAT HAVE BEEN COMMITTED AGAINST MY FAMILY AND OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, AND THE ONES THAT ARE STILL OCCURRING NOW.
IN MY OPINION, IT IS A DISSERVICE TO ALL OF US TO NOT LEARN OUR HISTORY AND ESPECIALLY TO DISREGARD TRAUMA THAT HAS AFFECTED OUR PEOPLE FOR GENERATIONS.
INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL EDUCATION HAS TO BE A REQUIREMENT AND A PRIORITY TO BE TAUGHT. THANK YOU.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS DANIEL AND I LIVE IN BOWERD.
I'M AN INTERN AT URBAN NATIVE EDUCATION ALLIANCE, WHERE I WORK.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS DANIEL AND I LIVE IN BOWERD.
I'M AN INTERN AT URBAN NATIVE EDUCATION ALLIANCE WHERE I WORK AND ALSO I'M EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS.
I AM HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL BOARD AND PASS A RESOLUTION OF URBAN NATIVE EDUCATION ALLIANCE IN MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL INDIGENOUS STUDENT UNION COLIN FOR BOARD SCHOOL EDUCATION IN EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
[00:40:02]
ON BEHALF OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVORS AND DESCENDANTS, WE STAND IN STRONG SUPPORT OF RESOLUTION 92025.A RESOLUTION FOR BOARDING SCHOOL EDUCATION IN ALL EDUCATION AND STARTS IN WASHINGTON STATE INTO THIS SEPTEMBER 30 AS EVERY CHILD MATTERS DAY OR ORANGE SHIRT DAY AND REMEMBER TO INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVORS.
THERE ARE OVER 526 KNOWN INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS THAT OPERATE IN THE UNITED STATES BETWEEN 1890S TO THE 1970S.
THAT IS OVER 100 YEARS THESE POLICIES WERE ENFORCED.
UNFORTUNATELY, IN TODAY'S MODERN SOCIETY WE ALSO KNOW THE INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL AREA AND THAT SOME OF THE CHILDREN THAT ATTENDED NEVER MADE IT HOME.
THIS RESOLUTION WOULD BE HISTORIC AND RECOGNIZED THE TRAUMA CAUSED BY THE INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL AREA AND THEIR CULTURAL LOSS EXPERIENCED BY NATIVE CHILDREN WHO ARE FORCIBLY REMOVED FROM THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES AND SENT TO INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS.
RESOLUTION WOULD ALSO UPLIFT THE VOICES OF CURRENT NATIVE STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THE STORIES OF THEIR ANCESTORS THAT ATTENDED AND SEEK TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND HEALING FOR ALL STUDENTS.
ACCORDING TO OUR DIGITAL MAP, THERE ARE 17 BOARDING SCHOOLS FOR THE STATE OF WASHINGTON.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE INDIAN SCHOOL AREA AND THE LOCATIONS OF THE SCHOOL IN WASHINGTON, PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE.
MAYBE SUPPORTS THE MEMBERS OF THE URBAN EDUCATION, HAWAII CLEAR SKY YOUTH, NATIVE YOUTH CASTLE, AND A NATIVE WARRIOR ATHLETES, AND HOPE YOU WILL JOIN THE SUPPORT IN THIS IMPORTANT RESOLUTION.
>> NEXT STEP IS JENNIFER HERMAN.
>> [FOREIGN] HELLO. MY NAME IS JEN HERMAN.
MY [INAUDIBLE] NAME IS [INAUDIBLE].
MY FAMILY IS [INAUDIBLE] FROM THE NATIVE VILLAGE OF EYAK IN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND OF ALASKA, BUT I LIVE HERE ON COAST SALISH LAND.
MY MOTHER, FATHER, HUSBAND, SISTER, AND I ALL GRADUATED FROM EDMONDS HIGH SCHOOL.
MY OLDER DAUGHTER GRADUATED FROM MOUNTLAKE TERRACE AND IS NOW A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER IN THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND MY YOUNGER DAUGHTER LIZ CURRENTLY ATTENDS MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL, AND I HAVE A NEPHEW THAT IS AT EDMONDS WOODWAY HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M THE CO-CHAIR OF THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT INDIAN EDUCATION PARENT COMMITTEE.
THIS IS THE OTHER JEN, JEN VICKERS.
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL BOARD PASSING THE RESOLUTION BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE NATIVE YOUTH OF URBAN NATIVE EDUCATION ALLIANCE AND THE MOUNTLAKE TERRACE INDIGENOUS STUDENT UNION, CALLING FOR BOARDING SCHOOL EDUCATION IN EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT, AS WELL AS DESIGNATION OF SEPTEMBER 30 AS EVERY CHILD MATTERS DAY.
INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS WERE CREATED SPECIFICALLY TO IMPLEMENT CULTURAL GENOCIDE AND CULTURALLY ASSIMILATE AMERICAN INDIAN, ALASKA NATIVE, AND NATIVE HAWAIIAN CHILDREN.
THE CHILDREN WERE FORCIBLY ABDUCTED FROM THEIR FAMILIES BY GOVERNMENT AGENTS AND SENT TO INSTITUTIONS HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY FROM WHERE THEY WERE BEATEN, STARVED, AND KEPT FROM SPEAKING THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGES, AND PRACTICING THEIR TRADITIONS.
I'M THE FIRST PERSON IN MY FAMILY SINCE MY GREAT GRANDMA, TO BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF IN OUR LANGUAGE.
THE LASTING IMPACT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS IS EDUCATION RELATED TRAUMA, A DISTRUST OF SCHOOL SYSTEMS, DISPLACEMENT OF NATIVE PEOPLE FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES AND TRIBAL LANDS, AND A LOSS OF LANGUAGE AND TRIBAL LEARNING SYSTEMS. WE CURRENTLY SEE THIS LEGACY IN THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE DATA GENOCIDE, WHERE NATIVE STUDENTS ARE UNDERCOUNTED AND UNDERSERVED, RESULTING IN LOWER RATES OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.
ACROSS THE US, THERE ARE LOWER RATES OF POST SECONDARY EDUCATION AND INCREASED RATES OF SUICIDE.
WE, NATIVE FAMILIES ARE DOING THE HEAVY LIFTING OF REVITALIZING OUR LANGUAGES, OUR TRADITIONS, AND CARING AND ADVOCATING FOR OUR CHILDREN.
THE ASK FOR YOU TODAY FROM THE YOUTH IS THAT YOU HELP TO CREATE A SPACE THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THEIR HISTORY AND CELEBRATES THEIR RESILIENCE.
PLEASE ADOPT THIS RESOLUTION TO ENSURE ACCURATE HISTORY IS TAUGHT AND DESIGNATE SEPTEMBER 30 AS EVERY CHILD MATTERS DAY IN REMEMBRANCE AND TRIBUTE TO BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS. [FOREIGN], THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
[00:45:05]
>> NEXT UP IS SARAH SENSE-WILSON.
>> [FOREIGN] MY NAME IS SARAH SENSE-WILSON.
I AM A MEMBER OF THE OGLALA NATION, I'M LIFELONG RESIDENT OF SEATTLE, PACIFIC NORTHWEST.
I SERVE AS THE URBAN NATIVE EDUCATION ALLIANCE ELECTED CHAIR, ALSO CO FOUNDER.
UNEA IS A GRASSROOTS NATIVE LED VOLUNTEER WORKFORCE, STUDENT CENTERED ORGANIZATION.
OUR 18 YEARS OF ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT FOR NATIVE STUDENT SUCCESS IS A MODEL FOR UPLIFTING THE VOICES OF NATIVE STUDENTS WHILE PROVIDING CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE MENTORSHIP, TUTORING, AND A VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL AND ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES.
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT ADOPTION OF UNEA RESOLUTION NUMBER 9, THE BOARDING SCHOOL EDUCATION ACROSS ALL AGES AND SCHOOLS AND TO DESIGNATE SEPTEMBER 30 AS EVERY CHILD MATTERS DAY OR ORANGE SHIRT DAY.
THIS RESOLUTION BRINGS VOICE AND TRUTH TO A LENGTHY 100 YEAR ERA OF US FORCED ASSIMILATION POLICIES.
THIS RESOLUTION WAS CO CREATED BY EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT, NATIVE STUDENTS, CLEAR SKY YOUTH, PARENTS, EDUCATORS, ELDERS, SURVIVORS OF BOARDING SCHOOLS, AND THE NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN BOARDING SCHOOL HEALING COALITION.
WE STAND TOGETHER TO URGE THE DISTRICT TO JOIN THE GROWING MOVEMENT ACROSS TURTLE ISLAND AND RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATING ALL STUDENTS ABOUT THE BOARDING SCHOOL AREA AND THE ATROCITIES ENDURED AND EXPERIENCED BY SURVIVORS AND IN REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE WHO PASSED AWAY DUE TO THE CONDITIONS THEY WERE SUBJECTED TO.
>> EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT LEADERSHIP HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION AND TO BRING TRUTH, JUSTICE, HEALING AND RECONCILIATION TO THE SURVIVORS, THE DESCENDANTS, AND ALL STUDENT LEARNERS WITHIN YOUR INSTITUTIONS.
STAND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY.
MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION TO UPHOLD YOUR VALUES THROUGH ACTION, COLLABORATION, AND GENUINE COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION, QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL.
>> [FOREIGN] HI, MY NAME IS PAUL MARQUIN.
I AM MAPUCHE FROM CHILE, AN INDIGENOUS.
AND I ACTUALLY AM A MEADOW DALE HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI PARENT, SISTER, GRADUATE.
NOW, TWO LITTLE NEPHEWS THAT GO TO MEADOWDALE ELEMENTARY, AND A NIECE THAT WILL GRADUATE FROM LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF UNEA.
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU GUYS AS A TAXPAYER OF THIS AREA, AS A VOTER, AS A MOTHER AND A SISTER, AND AS AN INDIGENOUS WOMAN, TO PLEASE REALLY LISTEN TO WHAT SARAH AND ALL THE KIDS HERE ARE SAYING.
BECAUSE I AM SAD THAT I NEVER GOT TO LEARN ANYTHING, ANY HISTORY ABOUT MY PEOPLE.
BUT I KNOW ALL OF YOUR HISTORIES.
IT'S TIME THAT WE SAY NO MORE.
THESE CHILDREN DESERVE TO LEARN AND TO CONTINUE.
THEIR FUTURE CHILDREN ALSO LEARN.
EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT IS A WONDERFUL SCHOOL DISTRICT.
MY CHILDREN, EVERYBODY IN MY FAMILY IS A PRODUCT OF IT, PRACTICALLY.
I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE ACCEPT THIS RESOLUTION AND SUPPORT UNEA.
>> [FOREIGN] MY NAME IS AMELIA ANDRES.
I AM SENECA AND MOHAWK ENDANHONI.
SHE IS A CURRENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND I ATTENDED SHERWOOD ELEMENTARY, AND THEN WENT TO MEDRONA AND GRADUATED FROM EDMONDS WOODWAY IN 2023.
I COME BEFORE YOU TO ASK TO PLEASE SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION, BECAUSE I AS A YOUNG GIRL, WHEN I WAS AT SHERWOOD,
[00:50:02]
I WAS ONE OF FOUR CHILDREN OF COLOR IN MY KINDERGARTEN CLASS WHERE WE WERE DRESSED UP FOR THANKSGIVING, AND EVERYONE ELSE GOT BONNETS, AND I GOT A SILLY LITTLE PAPER FEATHER, WHICH IS CLEARLY NOT APPROPRIATE.THEN I WENT TO MADRONA, WHERE I ADVOCATED FOR INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES TO BE TAUGHT, AND NOW I WORK WITH UNEA AND THE URBAN NATIVE EDUCATION ALLIANCE.
I SIT WITH THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT INDIAN PARENT COMMITTEE, AND I AM ADVOCATING FOR THIS RESOLUTION TO BE PASSED.
I WISH I HAD THIS EDUCATION WHEN I WAS A CHILD.
IF THIS EDUCATION WAS TAUGHT, I LEARNED ABOUT THE BOARDING SCHOOLS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I TAUGHT MYSELF ABOUT THE BOARDING SCHOOLS, AND MY PARENTS TAUGHT ME ABOUT THEM.
MY LATE FATHER, SHAWN ANDRES, WAS SENECA AND MOHAWK, AND HIS FATHER WAS SENECA AND MOHAWK, AND ALL OF OUR FAMILY WAS.
THEY WERE REMOVED FROM THEIR RESERVATIONS AND OUR LANGUAGE AND OUR CULTURE.
EVERY ITEM THAT I'M WEARING TODAY, MY AUNT'S TRADITIONAL JINGLE DRESS, WHICH IS CIRCA THE 1970S, WAS GOING TO BE TAKEN FROM HER IN THOSE BOARDING SCHOOLS.
OUR HAIR WAS CUT, AND OUR ADDERS WERE TAKEN AND RIPPED OUT OF OUR HAIR.
ALL OF OUR TRADITIONAL REGALIA WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM US.
I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE TEACH THIS IN SCHOOLS.
TO PLEASE LET THIS BE PASSED AND TO HAVE IT BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS FOR OUR YOUTH.
TO THE YOUNG CHILDREN WHO NOW KNOW MORE ABOUT INDIAN EDUCATION THAN I HAD OPPORTUNITIES.
IN THIS VERY ROOM, WHEN I WAS IN FIRST GRADE, WE MADE DRUMSTICKS, AND THEN THEY TOLD US THAT WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO COME BACK INTO THE PROGRAMMING BECAUSE WE WERE NOT ENROLLED, AND WE COULD NOT BE PART OF THE 506 PROGRAM.
WHICH IS SICK BECAUSE THE REASON WE WEREN'T ENROLLED WAS BECAUSE MY GRANDFATHER WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM THOSE BOARDING SCHOOLS, AND HE WAS TAKEN TO THEM, AND HIS CULTURE WAS CUT, AND OUR CULTURE WAS CUT.
THANK YOU. PROCLAMATION. NO, BILL. SORRY. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING. DISTINGUISHED BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS LISA RIVERA.
I'M A RESIDENT OF SEATTLE, BUT I'M A PROUD UNEA BOARD MEMBER, AND I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THEM AND READ A FEW WORDS FROM COMMUNITY.
WE ARE PROUD INDIGENOUS PARENTS STANDING BEFORE YOU TODAY TO EXPRESS UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR RESOLUTION NINE, WHICH CALLS FOR INCLUDING BOARD AND SCHOOL EDUCATION IN ALL K 12 SCHOOLS WITHIN THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE HISTORY OF INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS IS NOT A DISTANT PAST.
IT IS A LIVING WOUND THAT CONTINUES TO AFFECT COUNTLESS FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY OUR CHILDREN.
OUR ELDERS, OUR PARENTS, AND EVEN SOME OF US HERE TODAY BEAR THE SCARS OF A SYSTEM THAT SOUGHT TO ERASE OUR LANGUAGE, TRADITION, AND IDENTITIES.
FOR FAR TOO LONG, THE TRUTHS ABOUT WHAT OUR RELATIVES WERE FORCED TO ENDURE HAVE BEEN SILENCED IN CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
EDUCATION HAS THE POWER TO HEAL, BUT ONLY IF WE COMMIT TO SHARING THE TRUTHS OF THIS NATION'S HISTORY.
BY IMPLEMENTING BOARDING SCHOOL EDUCATION IN ALL SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT, WE BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT ONLY ABOUT HISTORY, IT IS ABOUT JUSTICE.
IT IS ABOUT ENSURING THAT ALL STUDENTS, NATIVE AND NON NATIVE ALIKE, UNDERSTAND THE TRUTHS OF WHAT HAPPENED, RECOGNIZE THE RESILIENCE OF OUR PEOPLE, AND UNDERSTAND THE LASTING IMPACTS OF THESE POLICIES ON INDIGENOUS FAMILIES TODAY.
OUR CHILDREN WALK BETWEEN TWO WORLDS, ONE OF THE PAST WHERE THEY KNOW FIRSTHAND WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR RELATIVES ACROSS ISLAND, AND ONE WHERE THEIR STORIES ARE KEPT BURIED.
WE MUST BRING THOSE STORIES TO LIGHT.
WHEN NON INDIGENOUS STUDENTS LEARN THIS HISTORY, THEY WILL GROW INTO ALLIES WHO UNDERSTAND AND RESPECT THE EXPERIENCES OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.
WHEN EDUCATORS ENGAGE WITH THESE LESSONS, THEY WILL BE BETTER EQUIPPED TO FOSTER AN INCLUSIVE AND INFORMED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS.
BY DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 30TH AS EVERY CHILD MATTERS DAY AND ENSURING THE INCLUSION OF BOARDING SCHOOL HISTORY IN OUR CURRICULA.
WE HONOR THOSE WHO ARE LOST, UPLIFT SURVIVORS VOICES, AND TAKE A CRITICAL STEP TOWARDS HEALING INTERGENERATIONAL WOUNDS.
I URGE ALL DECISION MAKERS, YOU TO STAND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY, TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BOARDING SCHOOL EDUCATION IN OUR SCHOOLS.
LET US ENSURE THAT OUR CHILDREN GROW UP IN A WORLD WHERE THEIR HISTORY IS ACKNOWLEDGED, THEIR PAIN IS VALIDATED, AND THEIR RESILIENCE IS CELEBRATED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [APPLAUSE]
>> HI THERE. MY NAME IS SHAWNA HICKS.
I AM A RESIDENT OF EDMONDS. HELLO, NEIGHBOR.
I AM A MOTHER OF TWO MODRONA, K THROUGH EIGHT STUDENTS, AND I AM AN EMPLOYEE OF THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I WASN'T PLANNING ON SPEAKING TONIGHT, SO I HAVE NOTHING PREPARED. I APOLOGIZE.
LAST YEAR, I WAS A STUDENT INTERVENTION COORDINATOR AT LINWOOD ELEMENTARY,
[00:55:03]
AND MY POSITION WAS CUT.I WAS PLACED ON, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL IT FURLOUG, OR SOMETHING, WHERE OR NOT FURLOUG.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
I WAS FORTUNATELY BROUGHT BACK A WEEK AGO, WHERE I BEGAN WORKING HALF TIME AT LINWOOD ELEMENTARY AND THE OTHER HALF AT COLLEGE PLACE ELEMENTARY AS A STUDENT INTERVENTION COORDINATOR.
SOMETHING HAPPENED THIS MORNING THAT MADE ME WANT TO JUST COME HERE AND CHAT WITH YOU ALL AT COLLEGE PLACE ELEMENTARY.
THANK YOU, GREG, FOR COMING AND SUPPORTING US.
MY CONCERN IS WITH THE BALANCE THE BUDGET TOOL, THAT FOLKS ARE MAYBE NOT SO AWARE OF WHAT THE ROLE OF A STUDENT INTERVENTION COORDINATOR IS, HOW MANY PEOPLE, HOW MANY STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AND EVERYONE IN THE ENTIRE SCHOOL, THAT ROLE REALLY HELPS TO SUPPORT EVERYONE.
I'M JUST NOT SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHO WE ARE.
WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, AND THEY SEE THIS THING THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, WELL, YEAH, LET'S JUST CHECK THAT BOX.
BUT IN THE SAME REGARDS, THE OTHER OPTIONS WERE PRETTY MISERABLE AS WELL TO CUT THE SPORTS AND THE MUSIC.
I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE IN QUITE A PICKLE HERE.
BUT I REALLY WOULD HOPE THAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES ON WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE CHECKING AND SAYING GOODBYE TO.
I ALSO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 1.1 MILLION THAT INCORPORATES THE BUDGET FOR SINGS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT BENEFITS AND EVERYTHING GO INTO THAT NUMBER, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A REALLY BIG NUMBER.
BUT I KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING NEXT TIME, I'LL BE PREPARED.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JENNIFER VICKERS.
I'M NET MOCK AND NARA GANSET FROM MASSACHUSETTS.
I WAS BORN ON THE EAST COAST AND RAISED HERE ON THE COST SALISH LANDS.
I AM A STUDENT GRADUATE FROM THE SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I HAVE A DAUGHTER AT COLLEGE PLACE ELEMENTARY, WHO WAS INVOLVED IN WHAT THIS ADVOCATE WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING.
I HAVE A SON THAT IS AT EDMONDS WOODWAY, AS A JUNIOR, NOT TO OVERSHADOW MY RELATIVES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY.
BUT MY ASK TODAY OF THE BOARD IS TO ASK FOR A PRIVATE MEETING WITH THE INDIAN EDUCATION PARENT COMMITTEE TO TALK ABOUT OUR PROGRAM AND TO ALSO BRING ATTENTION TO THE DATA DEFICIT AND CURRENT DAY GENOCIDE THAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE DATA OF OUR INDIGENOUS AND NATIVE STUDENTS WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
WITHIN THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE'VE IDENTIFIED STUDENTS BECAUSE OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION PROCESS THAT HAVE FALLEN OUT OF CATEGORIZED OR BEEN BEEN PUSHED INTO A DIFFERENT CATEGORY, AND WE WERE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THEM.
WE HAVE COME TOGETHER AS VOLUNTEERS OF THE PARENT COMMITTEE TO MAKE PHONE CALLS TO THESE FAMILIES.
HOWEVER, IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT PROBLEM, AND WE REALLY WANT TO TALK MORE ABOUT THIS AND FIGURE OUT WAYS THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THE DISTRICT, INTRODUCE THE OSPI OFFICE OF NATIVE ED WHO HAVE LEARNINGS AND EDUCATION PROCESS FOR BOARD MEMBERS.
THEY HAVE ELDERS THAT CAN COME IN AND TALK ABOUT THIS DATA PROBLEM THAT ACTUALLY IS, I DIDN'T KNOW THIS, BUT IT'S THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE STATE AND COUNTRY.
BUT THIS IS LIKE A REAL CURRENT DAY GENOCIDE THAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR STUDENTS, AND WE CANNOT IDENTIFY THEM AND BRING THEM INTO THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT THIS HELP.
I JUST WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A MEETING WITH YOU AT A LATER DATE. THANK YOU.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO CAME AND SPOKE TO US ABOUT WHAT MATTERS TO THEM AND TO THE COMMUNITY.
NEXT, WE HAVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA,
[10. CONSENT AGENDA-7:30 pm]
WHICH IS THE GROUP OF REGULAR ROUTINE ITEMS THAT WE CAN VOTE ON AND DISCUSS TOGETHER OR SEPARATELY,[01:00:01]
IF WE SO CHOOSE.TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA HAS NINE ITEMS. ONE IS PERSONNEL, ONE IS A CONTRACT FOR TECHNOLOGY PROTECTION, AND SEVEN ARE FIELD TRIPS.
DO I HEAR A MOTION IN A SECOND TO APPROVE TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
>> I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND.
>> JUST AGAIN, TO CONGRATULATE OUR STUDENTS WHO'VE EARNED THE RIGHT TO GO TO STATE WIDE EVENTS, WHETHER THAT'S A CTE ONE OR A SPORTS EVENT, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM.
>> I'D LIKE TO MENTION AND THANK OUR COMMUNITY FOR PASSING THE 2020 TECH LEVY, WHICH HAS GIVEN US THE FUNDING FOR US TO GET THIS LICENSE RENEWAL FOR A SYSTEM THAT WILL PROTECT US SO THAT WE ARE NOT HACKED AGAIN, WE HOPE.
BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT PROTECTION.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTING US IN THAT ENDEAVOR THROUGH THE TECH LEVY.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
AND OUR CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
>> JUST ONE REPORT THIS EVENING, LYDIA SEL.
[11. REPORTS-7:40 pm]
COMING FORWARD TO SHARE OUR JANUARY 2025 BUSINESS AND FINANCE REPORT.>> GOOD EVENING. WE'RE TALKING JANUARY 2025.
FIRST SLIDE, LOOKING AT THIS YEAR COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, AND SOMETIMES I LOOK AT YEARS PREVIOUS, AND EVERYTHING APPEARS NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.
ONE OF MY DUTIES IS TO REPORT ANYTHING OF CONCERN SO THAT YOU DON'T HEAR ABOUT IT LATE IN THE GAME.
>> JUST A REMINDER THAT 89% OF OUR EXPENDITURES ARE IN SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
SOMETIMES, I SHOULD SAY LABOR COSTS BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ALL PURE SALARIES, BUT YOU'LL HAVE SUBSTITUTES, ADDITIONAL HOURS, LIKE A GROUNDS HELPER IN THE SUMMER, ETC.
WE ARE ACTUALLY TRENDING WHERE WE WERE A YEAR AGO.
BUT JUST A REMINDER WHEN 11% IS NOT IN LABOR, IT BECOMES CHALLENGING TO MAKE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS.
THIS JUST COMPARES TREND LINES FROM YEAR TO YEAR, BOTH IN REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.
NOTED THAT LAST YEAR'S UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE WAS 2.76% OF TOTAL EXPENDITURES.
I AM HOPING TO REACH 3% THIS YEAR.
REMINDER THAT THE BOARD POLICY IS 4%.
THREE PERCENT IS A DEFINITE IMPROVEMENT.
WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT OSPI'S FINANCIAL HEALTH INDICATOR, WHICH IS OUT FOR '23, '24 RESULTS.
FOUR IS THE BEST, ZERO IS THE WORST.
TOTAL FUND BALANCE LAST YEAR, WE HAD 21.33 DAYS OF CASH ON HAND.
IF YOU LOOK AT JUST UNASSIGNED, 3% THIS YEAR OF UNASSIGNED WOULD BE ABOUT 11 OR 12 DAYS WORTH OF EXPENDITURES.
I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THE PROGRESS.
BUT AGAIN, LESS THAN 30 DAYS OF FUND BALANCE IS FAIRLY LOW.
WE'RE MAKING IT WORK, BUT THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY ON THAT.
THE GOOD NEWS I MENTIONED LAST MONTH IS THAT WE DID GET AN INCREASE IN TRANSPORTATION FUNDING.
TRANSPORTATION WAS A BIT IN THE RED.
IT MAY STILL, UNFORTUNATELY, COME IN IN THE RED, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE MUCH, MUCH CLOSER BECAUSE WE DID GET OVER 400,000 INCREASE FROM THE BUDGETED REVENUES TO THE ACTUAL REVENUES.
JUST AS A REMINDER, OSPI DOESN'T ACTUALLY TELL US THE YEAR'S REVENUES UNTIL FEBRUARY.
IT'S REALLY CHALLENGING TO BUDGET ALMOST A YEAR IN ADVANCE
[01:05:04]
AND HOPE THAT THE STATE COMES THROUGH AND PROVIDES FUNDING FOR YOUR TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM.I WILL LEAVE US ON A HAPPY NOTE OR HAPPIER.
YEAR-TO-DATE ENROLLMENT, JANUARY, WE ARE 26 FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT ABOVE BUDGET.
KUDOS TO MY TEAM, THAT'S NOT ME.
IT'S MY TEAM WHO ARE BEING SUPER ACCURATE IN FORECASTING, AND WE ARE TWO FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT STUDENTS ABOVE BUDGET AND ALTERNATIVE LEARNING.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
>> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT, SO YOU SAID THE OSPI SCORE IS A ZERO?
>> YEAH. FOR THAT ONE FIRST [OVERLAPPING]
WHERE WOULD WE BE IF WE HAD 4%, WHICH IS OUR BOARD GOAL?
>> THEY DO IT BY DAYS CASH ON HAND.
LET'S SEE, 4% IS 16 MILLION OF A $32 MILLION A MONTH TOTAL EXPENDITURE.
THAT WOULD PUT US AT ABOUT 15 DAYS.
IT'S A PRETTY HIGH BAR, SO I CERTAINLY DON'T EXPECT TO EVER GET TO FOUR, BUT IT'D BE NICE TO GET TO ONE OR TWO.
>> CONSEQUENCES OF THAT BEING AT ZERO, IS IT JUST MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TO WORK HARDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T RUN OUT OF MONEY OR IS THERE SOME OTHER CONSEQUENCE TO IT?
>> YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T RUN OUT OF CASH IN ANY ONE MONTH BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE TO BORROW MONEY AND PAY THE INTEREST COSTS TO MAKE PAYROLL, FOR EXAMPLE.
THE FUND BALANCE DAYS CASH ON HAND IS ONE OF FOUR ELEMENTS THAT OSPI REVIEWS AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, SO THAT'S ONE OF FOUR.
THEN THEY DO AN AVERAGE SCORE.
OUR SCORE IS, I BELIEVE IT'S 2.4, WHICH IS OKAY.
YOU CAN SCORE FROM 0-4 ON AVERAGE.
IF YOU SCORE BELOW A 1.75, THEN YOU ARE ON THE "WATCH LIST".
EIGHTEEN DISTRICTS ARE CURRENTLY ON THE WATCH LIST, INCLUDING THE ONES WHO ARE IN BINDING CONDITIONS.
HAVE ADEQUATE SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO MANAGE AND PROCESS PAYROLL AND BILLS AND THINGS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME NOT BE SO HIGH THAT WE COULD BE PUTTING THE MONEY ELSEWHERE.
>> THE OTHER THING WHICH I DON'T THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SINCE DIRECTOR GERARD CAME ON BOARD IS OUR BOND RATING CAN BE DOWNGRADED.
THERE'S A LOT OF EXPLANATION THAT THEY WANT ABOUT HOW YOUR CASH ON HAND, ETC.
THE BOND RATINGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE BUYING BONDS.
SINCE WE WILL BE SELLING MORE BONDS, THAT'S ANOTHER THING TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
WE WERE DOWNGRADED THIS YEAR SLIGHTLY FOR OUR MOST RECENT SALE, CORRECT? YES.
>> IS IT LIKELY THAT THAT BOND RATING MIGHT GO UP IF WE HIT THE 3%?
>> I DON'T BELIEVE IT WOULD GO UP BECAUSE IT'S A TOUGH BOND MARKET.
AT THE SAME TIME, THEY COME AND DO EXTENSIVE INTERVIEWS, AND WHEN YOUR FUND BALANCE DECLINES, THERE'S QUITE SOME QUESTIONING AROUND THAT.
IF THEY SEE FUND BALANCE INCREASE, EVEN JUST A LITTLE, THEN YOU CAN HAVE SOME MEASURE OF CONFIDENCE THAT YOUR BOND RATING IS NOT GOING TO DECREASE.
IF WE TICK UP JUST A HAIR, I THINK WE COULD HOLD OUR BOND RATING.
>> GOT IT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU AS ALWAYS.
>> KUDOS TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR YOUR CLOSE PROJECTIONS ON OUR FTE.
>> I'LL LET MY STAFF KNOW. THANK YOU.
>> ABSOLUTELY. NEXT, WE HAVE ONE ITEM OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
[12. UNFINISHED BUSINESS- 8:00 pm]
[01:10:05]
>> THIS IS ITEM 12.1, A SECOND READING TO APPROVE REVISED BOARD POLICY 6970.
YOU HAD A FIRST READING OF THIS AT THE LAST MEETING, AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHANGES BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND READING.
>> DO I HEAR A MOTION IN A SECOND TO APPROVE REVISED POLICY 6970 ON NAMING SCHOOLS, FACILITIES, AND TEAMS, AND USE OF SCHOOL MASCOTS, IMAGES, OR LOGOS?
>> I'VE HEARD A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING REVISED POLICY 6970, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING, AYE.
ANY ABSTENTIONS? REVISED POLICY 6970 ON NAMING SCHOOLS, FACILITIES, AND TEAMS AND USE OF SCHOOL MASCOTS IMAGES OR LOGOS IS APPROVED.
>> BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS, I'LL JUST SAY THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, WE ARE BUILDING A NEW SCHOOL, ONE THAT ISN'T REPLACING AN EXISTING SCHOOL.
CURTIS CAMPBELL, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS WILL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCEDURE, ACCOMPANYING THIS POLICY, GETTING A COMMITTEE UNDERWAY TO BRING SOME NAMING OPTIONS TO THE BOARD TO CONSIDER FOR, AND WHAT WE ARE NOW CALLING NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL INSTEAD OF FORMER ALDERWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL.
>> WELL, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
IT'LL BE FUN TO SEE WHAT THE COMMITTEE BRINGS TO US.
NEXT IS NEW BUSINESS. WE HAVE ONE ITEM.
[13. NEW BUSINESS- 8:10 pm]
>> ITEM 13.1 IS A SINGLE READING TO APPROVE PROJECT AWARD GREAT WESTERN INSTALLATIONS THROUGH KCDA CONTRACT 22-315.
>> DO I HEAR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE PROJECT AWARD GREAT WESTERN INSTALLATIONS THROUGH KCDA CONTRACT 22-315 FOR THE HAZELWOOD ELEMENTARY PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT PROJECT?
>> I'VE HEARD A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THIS IS BEING SUPPORTED FINANCIALLY FROM OUR 2024 BOND, AND OUR KIDS NEED TO HAVE GREAT PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.
IT NEEDS TO BE SAFE, AND IT NEEDS TO BE MODERN, AND SO IT'S WONDERFUL THAT WE'RE ABLE TO KEEP THOSE UP TO DATE. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? HEARING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE PROJECT AWARD GREAT WESTERN INSTALLATIONS THROUGH KCDA, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING, AYE.
ANY ABSTENTIONS? THE PROJECT AWARD GREAT WESTERN INSTALLATIONS THROUGH KCDA CONTRACT 22-315 FOR THE HAZELWOOD ELEMENTARY PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT PROJECT IS APPROVED.
NEXT, WE HAVE OUR LEGISLATIVE UPDATE,
[14. LEGISLATIVE UPDATES]
AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR CHASE.>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR KATIMS. WELL, WE ARE IN THE 58TH DAY OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, SO THERE ARE FEWER DAYS AHEAD OF US.
THERE ARE MORE DAYS BEHIND US AND ARE AHEAD OF US.
THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT A SPECIAL SESSION, BUT A LOT OF THAT DEPENDS ON WHEN THE HOUSE AND SENATE GRANT A BUDGET.
THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PIECES.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE A RESPONSIVE BUDGET WITH POLICIES THEY WANT TO PASS, SUPPORTING A REVENUE TAX PACKAGE, AND WE'LL JUST SEE HOW THAT GOES.
WE DO ANTICIPATE SEEING A BUDGET PROPOSAL FROM THE HOUSE POSSIBLY THIS WEEK, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING YET IN ADVANCE OF THE SENATE MARCH 18TH, REVENUE FORECAST.
I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING THE LAST TWO DAYS.
I'M LOOKING TO MY COLLEAGUES TO SEE, IT'S A LOT OF MOVING PIECES HERE, BUT WE WILL HAVE A MARCH 18TH, REVENUE FORECAST. WE GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
WE ARE STILL IN OUR YEAR-LONG ADVOCACY OF IN SESSION.
I JUST JUMPED RIGHT INTO THAT.
WE'VE GOT SOME BILLS THAT WE'RE WATCHING, STILL.
SENATE BILL 5263, THE FIRST ONE ON THE LIST.
LOOKS LIKE OUR BEST HOPE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING AT THE MOMENT.
IT IS ON THE LIST FOR FLOOR DEBATE, AND THE SENATE MUST PASS IT OFF THE FLOOR BY THE CUTOFF OF WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15TH, TOMORROW AT 5:00 PM, IS MY UNDERSTANDING ON THIS ONE.
I JUST DID A QUICK CHECK, AND THAT'S WHERE WE STILL ARE ON THIS ONE.
I WOULD SAY, CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE AS WE ALL ARE ON THE POSITIONS.
IF YOU GO TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT WEBSITE, WE HAVE THIS PRESENTATION ON UNDER THE SCHOOL BOARD LEGISLATIVE PAGE WHERE YOU CAN CHECK THE LINKS.
WE ALSO HAVE IN THE MSOC CATEGORY OF 5192.
THE FULL SENATE DEBATED AND PASSED 5192 LAST WEEK. IT WAS AMENDED.
[01:15:05]
INSTEAD OF AN INCREASE OF 8822 PER STUDENT PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 16, THEY REDUCED THE ALLOCATION.I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT ONE IT WAS REDUCED TO.
THE BILL DID FACE CRITICISM FOR NOT INCLUDING ACCOUNTABILITY AMENDMENTS, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS BILL.
THE FUNDING INCREASE IS ESSENTIAL, AND SO WE WILL KEEP EVERYONE APPRISED OF ITS STATUS.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT ONE.
I WILL SAY THAT IN A LOT OF OUR ADVOCACY, THERE'S BEEN A SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT FOR WASDA TO THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ARE COMMUNICATING, BRINGING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL BY SHARING WITH OUR LEGISLATORS THE BUDGET CHALLENGES AND GIVING THEM A LINK TO OUR BUDGET, OH, MY GOSH, I JUST BLANKED ON WHAT WE CALL IT, BALANCING ACT.
THANK YOU. TO BALANCING ACT, AND ENCOURAGING OUR LEGISLATORS TO SEE THE TYPE OF CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING.
>> I WOULD JUST ADD, I DID SEND A COPY OF THE BALANCING ACT, AND THE INTRODUCTION TO ALL OF OUR LEGISLATORS.
THEN WASDA SAW THAT, AND THEY ASKED ME TO PRESENT BRIEFLY TO SCHOOL DIRECTORS WHO ATTEND THEIR WEEKLY SESSION TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BALANCING ACT, AND NOT SOMETHING THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THIS YEAR, BUT SOMETHING THEY COULD THINK ABOUT FOR THE FUTURE.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THEM.
THEN AFTER WE GET THE RESULTS, THE BALANCING ACT DOES CLOSE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT MIDNIGHT.
AFTER WE GET THE RESULTS OF THAT, AND WE SHARE THAT WITH THE BOARD AT A STUDY SESSION, WE WILL SEND THE RESULTS TO OUR LEGISLATORS AS WELL.
>> I DO REMEMBER SEEING THE ONE OF THE HOUSE BILLS, NOT THIS ONE, I DON'T THINK, THE ONE THAT HAD THE LOWER WAITING.
IT WAS TO CHANGE THE WAITING TO 1.18 FOR THOSE IN SPECIAL ED, LESS THAN 80%, AND WHATEVER.
I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY, BUT IT WAS THE LOWER AMOUNTS, AND I SAW IT HAD PASSED THROUGH RULES.
I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHEN I SAW THAT BUT OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS.
IT LOOKED LIKE THE ONE THAT WAS THE LOWER WAITINGS WAS THE ONE THAT WAS MOVING FORWARD.
MAYBE IT'S THIS ONE. I'M NOT SURE BECAUSE IT SAYS REFER TO RULES 2.
>> I THINK IT WAS 5263 IS THE ONE.
>> BECAUSE THOUGHT IT WAS THE HOUSE BILL.
>> 1357 IS THE COMPANION BILL OR ANOTHER BILL [OVERLAPPING]
>> FOR THE SPECIAL ED, I WAS THE LOWER WAITING, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT STILL SOME.
I'M SURE LYDIA AT SOME POINT WILL BE ABLE TO HELP US TO KNOW HOW MUCH IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AND HOW MUCH IT MIGHT BE.
>> BUT WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T KEEP CUTTING BACK LIKE THEY DID LAST YEAR, AND THEY'LL SAY, WELL, WE HELPED YOU, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH WEALTH.
>> ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS THE BILLS AS PRESENTED, ARE NOT NECESSARILY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET.
WITH THE AMENDMENTS AND THE FLOOR DEBATES.
I DO KNOW THAT THE LEGISLATURE AND THE HOUSE HAVE BEEN MEETING TILL 2:00 IN THE MORNING ON A VARIETY OF BILLS THAT LOOK VERY DIFFERENT FROM THOSE THAT ARE PRESENTED WITH THE NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS THAT COME THROUGH.
WE'VE GOT TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT.
>> ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR KEEPING US ON TRACK ON.
>> THANK YOU. PLEASE DO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR PRESENTATION THAT WE BRING IS ON OUR WEBSITE WITH THE LINKS.
FEEL FREE TO CLICK TVW AND WATCH THE FLOOR DEBATES.
EVEN WHEN THEY GO TO 2:00 IN THE MORNING, IT'S A GOOD TIME TO FOLD LAUNDRY.
>> [LAUGHTER] DID ANY OF THE LEGISLATORS RESPOND TO THE BALANCING ACT?
>> ONE OF THEM DID, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO IT WAS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, TO BE HONEST.
I KNOW THEY'RE VERY BUSY IN SESSION RIGHT NOW, BUT ONE OF THEM DID SENT A RESPONSE.
AS IF FILLING IT OUT OR JUST SAYING THANK YOU FOR SENDING IT.
>> MORE LIKE THANK YOU FOR FILLING OUT.
>> BUT THAT'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT. GOOD QUESTION.
ANYTHING ELSE? WE'LL GO TO BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.
[15. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]
SCARLET, YOU WANT TO START?>> FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO START WITH THE EDMONDS WOODWAY BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM.
THEY WALKED UP LIKE A WALL, AND I HONESTLY COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING [LAUGHTER] BUT I AM PROUD AND VERY HAPPY FOR THEM.
I'M GOING TO RELAY THE MESSAGE ALREADY SAID.
THEY NOT ONLY REPRESENTED EDMONDS WOODWAY, BUT THEY ALSO REPRESENTED THE EDMONDS COMMUNITY. I DO HOPE THEY KNOW THAT.
FOR EDMONDS WOODWAY THIS WEEK IS CLASSIFIED STAFF WEEK.
SO BIG THANK YOU TO ALL THE CLASSIFIED STAFF AND ALL THE WORK THEY DO.
WE HAVE A MULTICULTURAL ASSEMBLY HAPPENING LATER IN MARCH.
CURRENTLY THERE IS ASB EXECUTIVE OFFICER POSITIONS.
[01:20:03]
I KNOW TSA HAS A STATE COMPETITION COMING UP THAT SANTE WILL DEFINITELY TALK ABOUT.I DON'T HAVE MUCH INFORMATION ON THAT, I WANT TO TOUCH ON THE PRESENTATION GIVEN BY THE URBAN NATIVE EDUCATION ALLIANCE IN THE MALT TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL INDIGENOUS STUDENT UNION.
I PROMISE THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME I MENTIONED MY NOW DEAD BILL, SENATE BILL 5574.
BUT THE PRESENTATION FROM THE URBAN NATIVE EDUCATION ALLIANCE IN THE MALTE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL INDIGENOUS STUDENT UNION REALLY SPOKE OUT TO ME BECAUSE, ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT BEEN ADVOCATING FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION OF ALASKA NATIVE AND AMERICAN INDIAN, I HAVE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS INCLUSIVE EDUCATION OF ASIAN AMERICAN NATIVE HAWAIIAN IN PACIFIC ISLANDER EDUCATION, AND NATIVE HAWAIIAN IS ACTUALLY MENTIONED ON RESOLUTION 9.
THIS IS SOMETHING I'M DEEPLY PASSIONATE ABOUT BECAUSE AS A MEMBER OF THE AA&HPI COMMUNITY, I HAVE EXPERIENCED HATE AND DISCRIMINATION, AND I BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THIS CAN BE STOPPED WITH BETTER EDUCATION.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS AN ISSUE FROM THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN AT A STATE LEVEL.
FOR SENATE BILL 5574, OSPI ACTUALLY APPROVED IT.
WHAT I'M URGING IS FOR YOU TO GO TO LAWMAKERS AND ADVOCATE TOWARDS THOSE PEOPLE BECAUSE WE NEED BILLS TO GET HEARINGS, AND WE NEED HEARINGS TO BE TURNED INTO LAWS.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
LIKE I SAID AGAIN, I DO BELIEVE INCLUSIVE EDUCATION ELIMINATES WRONGFUL DISCRIMINATION AND RACISM, AND ESPECIALLY FROM TODAY'S PRESENTATION TOWARDS THE AMERICAN INDIAN ALASKAN NATIVE ASIAN AMERICAN NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY.
HI. I'M TATIANA, AND I'M FROM EDMOND HEIGHTS.
I FIRSTLY WANTED TO START MY COMMENT THIS WEEK BY CLARIFYING SOMETHING THAT I SAID LAST WEEK.
I WAS RE-WATCHING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WITH MY BEST FRIEND AFTER THE BOARD MEETING BECAUSE WE LIKE TO DO THAT.
I WAS SAYING I JUST SAID SOMETHING AMBIGUOUSLY, AND I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY.
I SAID THAT STUDENTS WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE HIRING COMMITTEE FOR OUR NEW PRINCIPAL, AND I JUST SAID AMBIGUOUSLY THAT STUDENTS WOULD BE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
I DID NOT MEAN THAT IN THE ABSENCE OF OUR CURRENT PRINCIPAL, KATHLEEN.
I RE-LISTENED TO IT. I WAS LIKE, THAT'S CONFUSING.
I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR HER, AND I APPRECIATE HER IMPACT ON OUR SCHOOL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY, YES, WE WERE VERY EXCITED FOR IT FOR THE COMMITTEE.
[LAUGHTER] YES, THAT WHERE STUDENTS GOT TO GATHER TOGETHER AND HELP US FIND OUR NEW PRINCIPAL, WHICH LEADS ME TO MY NEXT TOPIC, WHICH IS THAT WE DID THAT.
A FEW OF US STUDENTS, I BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE FIVE OF US GOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERVIEWS FOR OUR SCHOOL'S NEW PRINCIPAL.
I HAD A REALLY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE, GETTING TO LEARN ABOUT THAT PROCESS AND GETTING TO WATCH THAT.
I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT EXPERIENCE.
ADDITIONALLY, NEXT WEEK, MY SCHOOL IS GOING TO STATE THESPIAN, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.
WE LEAVE ON WEDNESDAY THE 19TH, WHICH IS ALSO MY 17TH BIRTHDAY, AND IT'LL BE NICE TO CELEBRATE WITH ALL OF MY FELLOW THESPIANS.
I'M REALLY EXCITED WE'RE DOING A WORK IN PROGRESS FROM THE SHOW THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS HADESTOWN.
ADDITIONALLY, MY SCHOOL HAD OUR SCHOOL SPELLING BEE FOR, I BELIEVE, LIKE, SECOND GRADE THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS AND THAT WAS REALLY I HEARD VERY GREAT.
ADDITIONALLY, MY SCHOOL HAS A TALENT SHOW COMING UP, WHICH INVOLVES I BELIEVE ALL GRADE LEVELS, AND AS A K THROUGH 12, THAT REALLY GETS A LOT OF STUDENTS SUPPORTING EACH OTHER'S TALENTS, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.
LASTLY, IN ROBOTICS TODAY, WE HELD AN INTAKE CHALLENGE, WHICH, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
THAT'S WHERE WE CREATE INTAKES FOR OUR ROBOT AND WE HAD TWO SUB TEAMS ON MY TEAM CREATE DIFFERENT INTAKES AND THEN GO THROUGH AND HAVE SOME FRIENDLY COMPETITION AGAINST EACH OTHER, AND THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT WAY TO GET US PREPARED FOR NEXT SEASON. THAT IS ALL. THANK YOU.
BEFORE I DIVE INTO SOME SCHOOL AND PERSONAL UPDATES, I WANTED TO TOUCH ON THE URBAN NATIVE EDUCATION ALLIANCE AND MALTE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL INDIGENOUS STUDENT UNIT COMMENTS.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'M REALLY HAPPY AND PROUD ABOUT THE FACT THAT MY COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY ARE ABLE TO STAND UP FOR WHAT THEY THINK IS RIGHT AND ARE ABLE TO PUT THEIR VOICE OUT THERE BECAUSE THE FIRST STEP AN ADVOCACY FOR WHAT YOU CARE ABOUT IS BY JUST GETTING YOUR VOICE OUT THERE, WHETHER IT'S EMAILING A SCHOOL BOARD, WHETHER IT'S BEING HERE TODAY, WHETHER IT'S STANDING ON THE CORNER WITH A SIGN ABOUT WHATEVER YOU CARE ABOUT.
AS SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD TO GROW UP SPEAKING TWO LANGUAGES, ONE AND SCHOOL ONE, ONE AT HOME, IT MEANS A LOT TO ME THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING THEIR BEST TO GET THEIR VOICES HEARD,
[01:25:02]
ESPECIALLY AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVEL, AND ESPECIALLY AT THE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL.SO I REALLY ENJOY TODAY'S PRESENTATION AND PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THAT TOPIC.
IT MAKES ME REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE TAKING A STAND FOR WHAT THEY CARE ABOUT, WHICH IS AWESOME.
FOR SCHOOL UPDATES, AS SCARLET MENTIONED, WE ALSO HAVE A MULTICULTURAL NIGHT, AND THAT IS THIS WEEK, I BELIEVE MULTICULTURAL NIGHT AND ASSEMBLY, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THIS THURSDAY, WHICH I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR.
I KNOW WE LOOKED AT OUR WINTER ATHLETES EARLIER AND BEST I'LL SHOUT IT TO MY FRIEND, ALEX LE, WHO PLACED EIGHTH AND STATE FOR SWIMMING.
I SWIM WITH HIM LAST YEAR ON THE TEAM, AND IT MAKES ME REALLY HAPPY TO SEE SOMETHING HE'S WORKED FOR FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS REALLY PAY OFF AT STATE THIS YEAR.
THIS WEEK OR THESE COUPLE OF WEEKS, OUR ASP ELECTION SEASON FOR LINWOOD, SO IT'S EXCITING TO SEE ALL THE CANDIDATES REALLY PUT THEIR POSTERS AROUND SCHOOL AND TALK ABOUT THEMSELVES AND JUST TELL THE STUDENTS WHY THEY THINK THEY'D BE THE BEST CANDIDATE.
IT'S ALWAYS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO LOOK AT AND ACKNOWLEDGE, NOT AS SOMEONE WHO HAS AN ASP, BUT SOMEONE WHO JUST LIKES TO SEE KIDS WHO CARE ABOUT LEADERSHIP REALLY GIVE IT RAW.
THEN I KNOW WE ALSO HAVE A NEW LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE AN INTERIM ASSISTANT PRINCIP AND HE IS WONDERFUL, AND I DO NOT KNOW THE NAME OF OUR NEW ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, BUT I SAW THE EMAIL, AND I THINK SHE LOOKS LOVELY.
I'M REALLY EXCITED, IF SHE VISITS LINA BEFORE, I'D LIKE TO GET TO KNOW HER, AND IT WON'T, OF COURSE, I WON'T BE AT THE SCHOOL ANYMORE, BUT IT'S COOL TO SEE THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE IN PLACE ALREADY.
THAT'S AWESOME. AND THEN, AGAIN, A SCARLET TALKED ABOUT TSA, STATE AT CONFERENCE TECHNOLOGY STUDENT ASSOCIATION, IS IN THREE WEEKS NOW.
I'M REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE, AGAIN, THAT'S LIKE THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT I DO.
WE HAVE, AGAIN, NOT ONLY THREE STUDENTS ON THE STATE OFFICE TEAM THIS YEAR, WHO ARE GOING A DAY EARLY TO SET UP AND GIVE IT THE ALL.
BUT WE HAVE TWO STUDENTS, ONE RETURNING OFFICER AND ONE NEW CANDIDATE WHO HAVE MADE THE TOP 12 GENERAL POOL FOR STATE OFFICE THIS YEAR, ONE FROM LINWOOD, AND AGAIN, THE RETURNING FROM EDMONDS WOODWAY.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THEM RUN FOR A STATE OFFICER POSITION AND HOPEFULLY MAKE THE TOP 6 OUT OF THE TOP 12 CANDIDATES.
I THINK I BELIEVE WE HAVE 45 STUDENTS ATTENDING THE STATE CONFERENCE FROM LINWOOD, ROUGHLY 50 SOMETHING FROM EDMONDS WOODWAY.
LINWOOD HAS ROUGHLY 10, 20 SOMETHING, AND MALTE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHAPTERS IN THE STATE WITH OVER 100, 150 STUDENTS EVERY SINGLE YEAR AT THE STATE CONFERENCE.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO WORK ON ALL OF MY EVENTS AND HOPEFULLY PLACE AND GO TO NATIONALS AGAIN THIS YEAR AND SEE OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT PERFORM REALLY WELL, BECAUSE IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE IMPROVED SO MUCH, NOT ONLY AT MY SCHOOL WITH A JUMP FROM 7-50 SOMETHING KIDS, BUT MADOWDALE HAS STARTED A CHAT PAST COUPLE OF YEARS EDMONDS WOODWAY HAS GROWN A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT, AND MALTE TERRACE HAS CONTINUED TO BE MALTE TERRACE.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE HOW THAT GOES WITHIN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS, AND I WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED AT OUR NEXT MEETING, AND THEN OF COURSE, AFTER THE STATE CONFERENCE.
>> GREAT. NOW I WANT TO REALLY THANK THE THREE OF YOU.
IT'S SO WONDERFUL TO SEE STUDENTS LIKE YOU WHO ARE SO INVOLVED IN SO MANY FACETS OF THE DISTRICT, THE LEARNING PROCESS, AND THE THINGS THAT MATTER IN THE WORLD.
I KNOW WE OFTEN TELL YOU THIS, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE THREE OF YOU.
YOU'RE GREAT. DIRECTOR GERARD.
>> I'M AFRAID MY LIST OF THINGS TO TALK ABOUT HAS JUST GOTTEN LONGER AS THE MEETING IS GOING ON.
SOME THINGS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS.
I WENT TO THE EAACH, NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER EVENING AND ENJOYED NOT ONLY THE PERFORMANCE BY STUDENTS, BUT ALSO THE PANEL THAT THEY HAD SHARING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES, BOTH ADULTS AND STUDENTS.
THE LINWOOD YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL ORGANIZATION HAS HAD A COUPLE OF MEETINGS.
WE'RE WORKING ON THAT, MOVING THAT ALONG.
THE FOUNDATION FOR ESD BREAKFAST.
AGAIN, HAD A WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE BY THE MALTE TERRACE JAZZ SINGER, AND AS WELL AS VERY GREAT LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT BY SOME OF OUR NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS.
I VISITED HAZELWOOD WITH DR. MINOR.
WE HAD SOME GREAT STUDENT TOUR GUIDES TOOK US AROUND THE BUILDING.
THEN ON FRIDAY, I WENT TO THE CTE PARTNERSHIP BREAKFAST, AND THAT WORK OF THE CTE DEPARTMENT IS JUST AMAZING.
THE BOOKLETS, HOW THEY'VE ORGANIZED IT, RECRUITING.
[01:30:01]
POSSIBLE PLACEMENTS.EVEN OUR DISTRICT, LIKE TECH DEPARTMENT HAS JUST STARTED USING INTERNS THROUGH CTE INSTEAD OF RUNNING THEIR OWN SEPARATE PROGRAM BECAUSE IT CAN BE EASILY INTEGRATED TO THAT.
REALLY IMPRESSIVE STUFF THERE.
I WENT TO THE AUDIT INTAKE MEETING, WE GET AUDITED EVERY YEAR BY THE STATE, AND SO I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT PROCESS, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
WENT TO THAT MEETING, ALSO WENT TO LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL TO SEE A PERFORMANCE OF SUBTEXT WAS THE PLAY THAT THEY PUT ON.
ALSO ORGANIZED WORK FOR THE LIBRARIANS ON POSSIBLE WINDOWS AND MIRRORS AWARD NOMINEE BOOKS THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED IN '26 '27.
WE HAVEN'T DECIDED ON THE '25 '26 ONES YET, BUT IT'S NOT TOO EARLY TO START SINCE WE KNOW WHAT THE BOOKS ARE, TO START ACQUIRING THOSE, READING THEM.
SOME THINGS THAT JUST CAME UP.
I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED IN A LEGISLATIVE REPORT.
THERE'S A TOWN HALL MEETING IN PERSON FOR THE 21ST LD LEGISLATORS, MARC LIA, STRAWN PETERSON AND LIAN ARTIS SELF.
IT'S AT THE EDMONDS WATERFRONT CENTER ON IT SAID THE 18TH, BUT I THINK IT WAS SATURDAY.
ON SATURDAY AT 10 O'CLOCK TILL NOON.
IF YOU WANT TO GO AND DO SOME MORE ADVOCACY, THERE'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
THE PRESENTATION BY THE NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR RESOLUTION OR ACTION OR WHAT WE DO EXACTLY LOOKS LIKE.
I KNOW THEY'RE NOT HERE, BUT I SEE A FEW ORANGE SHIRTS STILL REMAINING.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT TONIGHT WAS ORANGE SHIRT NIGHT.
I WOULD HAVE WORN MINE. [LAUGHTER] I BOUGHT ONE TO SUPPORT THE DIVERSE BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
I LOVE THE DESIGN. I DO KNOW ABOUT BOARDING SCHOOLS.
I TAUGHT MY FIFTH GRADERS ABOUT IT IN THE PAST WHEN I WAS IN THE CLASSROOM, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WENT BACK TO THE FOUNDATION BREAKFAST.
IT'S LIKE OUR NATIVE, WE DO A LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT, BUT THE PEOPLE ARE STILL HERE.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND THAT WE REALIZE THE GENERATIONAL TRAUMA OF THOSE EXPERIENCES.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE, BUT I HOPE WE CAN DO SOMETHING WITH THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS AN IDEAS THAT WERE BROUGHT FORWARD.
>> BALANCING ACT. I TRIED TO DO THE BALANCING ACT, AND I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. I COULDN'T DO IT.
I DON'T KNOW. THERE'S NO WAY TO MAKE IT BALANCE WITHOUT CUTTING OUT SOMETHING THAT CREATES BELONGING, CONNECTS STUDENTS TO OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY CAN COMPLETE IT, BUT IT JUST REPRESENTS IT TEACHES ALL OF US WHAT A TOUGH SITUATION WE'RE IN, AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE DON'T CARE WHATEVER GETS END UP HAVING TO GET CUT.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE DON'T CARE.
IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY PAINFUL TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
ON A HAPPIER NOTE, HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER STARTING.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO OFFICIATING BOTH MONIE TERRACE AND MADODALE IN THE NEXT WEEK, AND I HOPE TO GET THE OTHER SCHOOLS SOON.
THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS FOR TONIGHT.
>> THANK YOU. DIRECTOR KRAMER.
>> HI. YEAH. I WANTED TO TAKE A 50,000 FOOT VIEW FOR A SECOND.
I TEACH HISTORY, I TEACH SOCIAL STUDIES AS A SEVENTH GRADE TEACHER, I TEACH WASHINGTON STATE STUDIES.
LISTENING TO THE INCREDIBLY POWERFUL PRESENTATION TONIGHT, IT HAS HAD ME THINKING ABOUT YOU KNOW,
[01:35:05]
HOW HISTORY, AND THIS IS WHAT I TRY TO TEACH MY STUDENTS.IT'S A STORY THAT'S TOLD ABOUT THE PAST.
IT'S AN ACCOUNT OF THE PAST, THAT'S TOLD THROUGH A PERSPECTIVE.
WHAT I TRY TO IMPART TO YOUR KIDS IS THAT IT'S INCUMBENT ON US AS CONSUMERS OF INFORMATION TO DIG AND TO FIND OUT WHAT THE OTHER PERSPECTIVES ARE.
IN TODAY'S CULTURE, TODAY'S CLIMATE, A LOT OF PEOPLE TEND TO GET DOOMY AND GLOOMY AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
THERE'S A LOT OF PRESSURES, POLITICAL PRESSURES ON BOTH SIDES TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO USE WHICH WORDS AND WHICH WAY AND ALL THAT STUFF.
HONESTLY, WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON IS HELPING OUR STUDENTS BECOME CRITICAL THINKERS, CRITICAL CONSUMERS OF INFORMATION.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TO REALLY STRONGLY ADVOCATE FOR THAT FOR BECOMING REALLY GOOD AT EVALUATING INFORMATION, WHERE IT'S COMING FROM, HOW DO YOU KNOW IT'S TRUE AND DIG AND DIG AND DIG.
BECAUSE IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT, THEN WE'RE ALL JUST GOING TO BE LED ALONG SOME PATH THAT WAS CREATED BY SOMEONE ELSE WHO HAS OTHER INTENTIONS.
THEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT'S THE STORY OF TODAY GOING TO BE TOLD IN YEARS TO COME? IS IT SO GLOOMY AND DOOMY? I DON'T KNOW.
TONIGHT, AFTER LISTENING TO THIS PRESENTATION, AFTER LISTENING TO OUR STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS, I'M FILLED WITH HOPE. I REALLY AM.
I KNOW THAT OUR DISTRICT'S IN TIGHT BUDGET AWFUL SITUATION, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY ROUGH, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S THE JOB THAT WE GOT TO DO.
BUT I HONESTLY AM FILLED WITH HOPE.
I'LL TELL YOU ONE SPECIFIC STORY.
I WENT, AS SOME OF YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT A DAUGHTER WHO'S IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AT ADWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I WENT IN EARLY TO PICK HER UP AND I WAS WAITING, AND I WAS LIKE, I HAD ANOTHER 15 MINUTES TO WAIT, AND I WAS LIKE, I'M JUST GOING TO SNEAK IN. I JUST WANT TO LOOK IN.
BECAUSE IF SHE SAW ME, SHE'D DIE OF EMBARRASSMENT.
BUT I SNUCK IN, AND THE PRINCIPAL WAS THERE.
SHE'S LIKE, OH, YEAH, COME HERE, COME HERE.
AT FIRST, I WAS JUST GOING TO PEEK AROUND THE CORNER.
BUT SHE HAD ME COME CLOSER AND PEEK OUT AT THE KIDS.
WHAT I SAW WAS SUCH A HOPEFUL SCENE.
IT'S A SLICE OF AMERICANA, ALMOST.
IT'S LIKE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCE, AND THE KIDS WERE HAVING A BALL.
THERE WERE KIDS DRESSED UP IN THEIR TRADITIONAL GARB.
SAW THIS ONE BOY HE WAS FROM INDIA, JUST BEAUTIFUL OUTFIT.
AND THEN THERE WERE THE SEAS, A HUGE LATINA CONTINGENT WITH ALL THESE GREAT COLORS THAT THEY WERE WEARING.
THEN THERE WAS THIS SEA OF KIDS DANCING, AND THEY WERE PASSING OUT LITTLE BAGS OF POPCORN FROM THE STAGE, AND THEY WERE JUST DANCING AND HAVING FUN.
THEN, SO I QUICKLY RAN BACK TO MY CAR AND GOT BACK IN BEFORE MY DAUGHTER, RECORD SAW ME.
BUT AS THE KIDS SPILLED OUT, MY WIFE AND I WERE WATCHING.
I DIDN'T SEE PEOPLE WITH PHONES.
I SAW KIDS LAUGHING AND RUNNING TO ONE ANOTHER AND AND JUST CLEARLY LIT UP BY THE EVENING.
WHEN THE STORY IS TOLD UP TODAY, IF I CAN LAD MY PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S THE PERSPECTIVE I WANT TO GIVE.
AS FAR AS THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS PROPOSED, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE STEP FORWARD IS, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHY WE WOULDN'T CONSIDER THAT.
THIS IS THE TRUTH THAT THINGS HAPPENED IN OUR PAST THAT WE HAVE TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH UNDERSTANDING AND ADMITTING THAT, YEAH, WE MADE SOME MISTAKES, JUST LIKE WE MADE MISTAKES WITH INTERNING JAPANESE, JUST LIKE WE DID WITH CHINESE EXCLUSION ACTS, JUST LIKE WE DID WITH NOT TALKING ABOUT THE TULSA MASSACRE AND THE OSAGE MURDERS.
THERE'S A LOT OF TRUTH THAT NEEDS TO BE TOLD.
I SEE THAT AS PART OF OUR DUTY AS AMERICAN CITIZENS TO BRING TRUTH FORWARD.
ALL OF THAT IS TO SAY, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THAT BIG LONG TI RATE.
>> THANK YOU. I DID ALSO WANT TO COMMENT JUST A LITTLE BIT ON THE NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS THAT WE HAD HERE EARLIER.
I THINK THAT THEIR PRESENTATION WAS GORGEOUS.
I'VE ALWAYS LET ME BACK UP A LITTLE BIT.
[01:40:02]
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT AREN'T IN OUR HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUMS BY DEFAULT AND IN BOARDING SCHOOLS.WE SPOKE ABOUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ABOUT NOT HAVING ENOUGH ASIAN AMERICAN REPRESENTATION IN OUR HISTORY CLASSES.
THOSE THINGS DON'T MAKE IT FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT REASONS.
I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US AS WE LOOK TO WHAT CURRICULUM WE WANT IN OUR SCHOOLS, THAT WE KEEP THAT IN MIND, AND THAT THAT'S ONE OF OUR JOBS AS A BOARD AS A DISTRICT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THOSE PERSPECTIVES IN THERE.
DIRECTOR KRAMER CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THIS MORE DIRECTLY THAN I CAN.
BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT HISTORY THE STUFF THAT I LEARNED GROWING UP THAT WAS A FULL 12 YEARS OF HISTORY, AND OH, YES, SINCE THEN, WE'VE ALSO HAD A MAJOR TERRORIST ATTACK, TWO HUGE WARS, A GREAT RECESSION.
THERE'S EVEN MORE HISTORY THAT WE NOW NEED TO TEACH KIDS IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME.
HISTORY IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE TOUGHER SUBJECTS TO TEACH AS TWO AND TWO IS ALWAYS GOING TO EQUAL FOUR, BUT HISTORY IS ALWAYS GOING TO CHANGE.
THROUGHOUT MY 20S AND 30S, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME JUST LEARNING THE HISTORY THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO LEARN IN SCHOOL.
MY FATHER PASSED PROBABLY ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO.
AND AT THAT TIME, I LEARNED THAT I AM ONE EIGHTH BLACKFOOT, WHICH I DID NOT KNOW.
I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THREE GENERATIONS REMOVED FROM A FAMILY THAT WAS 100% NATIVE AMERICAN, AND I HAVE NO IDEA.
IT TOOK ME ABOUT 30 SECONDS TO REALIZE, OH, YEAH, BECAUSE WE AS A SOCIETY HAVE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF TAKING THAT AWAY FROM NATIVE PEOPLE.
I DO NOT IDENTIFY AS A NATIVE INDIVIDUAL, EVEN THOUGH I COULD MAKE A CLAIM TO IT JUST BECAUSE I WAS RAISED WHITE.
THAT IS JUST THE LIFE I HAVE LED.
I THINK THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT OUR NATIVE STUDENTS KNOW ABOUT THEIR HISTORY AND KNOW ABOUT THEIR BACKGROUND AND GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT.
EVEN IF DON'T FULLY EMBRACE IT, JUST HAVING THAT KNOWLEDGE IS A HUGE PART OF THEM.
IT REALLY WAS A CULTURAL GENOCIDE THAT AMERICA TRIED TO DO WITH THE NATIVE AMERICANS. ANYWAY, YOU CUT IT.
AND NOT LESS, IN A VIOLENT WAY IN SOME WAYS, BUT NOT EVEN THAT, TAKING AWAY THE CULTURE.
THE WHOLE IDEA WAS TO MAKE IT GO AWAY.
TO STAY ON THE NEGATIVE NOTES STAKES I'M JUST NOT A LOT OF GOOD NEWS, I GUESS.
AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON BUDGET STUFF, WE NEED TO KEEP REALLY HUNTING OUR STATE LEGISLATORS A LOT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE SAW SOME CUTS RECENTLY TO STUDENT MEALS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT IMPACT OUR DISTRICT.
I WASN'T SURE QUITE HOW THE MATH WORKED, BUT CERTAIN DISTRICTS IN WASHINGTON STATE ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THIS, NOT GETTING FUNDS FOR STUDENT METALS.
THE DEPARTMENT OF ED TODAY SAID THEY'RE CUTTING HALF THEIR WORKFORCE, WHICH, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY CUTTING A PROGRAM, IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT A LOT HARDER FOR US TO GET THE MONEY THAT WE GET FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ED.
IT'S GOING TO BE HARDER FOR US TO GET THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS.
IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER THAT WE FIND A WAY TO GET THOSE STATE DOLLARS.
PLEASE GO OUT THERE, GO TO YOUR MEETINGS.
TOWN HALLS, WHATEVER, GET OUT THERE, MAKE SURE YOUR LEGISLATORS KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE AT THE STATE LEVEL ARE GOING TO FUND OUR SCHOOLS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR CADOMS. THAT WAS.
I ALSO ATTENDED THE FOUNDATION BREAKFAST WITH DIRECTOR GERARD.
SO THANK YOU FOR SHOUTING THAT OUT, SO I DON'T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT NOW.
AND WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH MEETING, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT FURTHER THE EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF OUR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES THAT ARE AROUND HERE.
I WOULD SAY THAT DESIGNATING AND RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 30 AS EVERY CHILD MATTERS DAY WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT TO DO.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT FORWARD JUST AS SEATTLE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES, AS A PUGET SOUND EDUCATIONAL SERVICE DISTRICT DOES, AND THE TULP TRIBES, WHICH OUR PARTNERS IN MANY THINGS, AND ALSO IN HONOR OF, WHERE DID IT GO? JUST A MINUTE. I JUST HAD THE FEDERAL ONE UP ON DEB HOLLAND, WHO HAD ANNOUNCED THE FEDERAL INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL INITIATIVE, OR FORMER SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR IN JUNE 21ST, DID THAT AS A WAY TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE ACKNOWLEDGING THE PAST AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I WOULD LIKE TO START THAT PROCESS OF RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 30TH AS EVERY CHILD MATTERS DAY AS DIRECTED IN THIS PARTICULAR PRESENTATION, RESOLUTION WE'VE GOT.
[01:45:03]
>> THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO CONTINUE DIRECTOR KRAMER'S NOTE OF HOPE.
I ATTENDED ON SATURDAY THE SCIENCE AND EDUCATION FAIR AT MAT LE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL.
THIS WAS SPONSORED BY THE CENTRAL SOUND REGIONAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR GROUP.
IT HAD ABOUT 200 PROJECTS FROM KING AND SNOHOMISH COUNTY, ABOUT 40 OF THEM OR FROM OUR STUDENTS.
THESE WERE PROJECTS THAT COVERED CLIMATE, AVIATION, MUSIC, HEALTH, MUSIC, ENGINEERING, DON'T DRONES, AI TO SOLVE CANCER PROBLEMS BETTER THAN AN INDIVIDUAL DOCTOR CAN.
WE MUST CONTINUE MAKING SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING A HIGH PRIORITY IN THIS DISTRICT.
WE HAVE TO HELP OUR CURRENT STUDENTS AND FOR THE FUTURE BE ABLE TO MAKE EVIDENCE BASED REASONED DECISIONS, UNDERSTANDING WHAT PROBLEMS NEED TO BE SOLVED IN THIS WORLD AND HOW TO GO ABOUT DOING IT IN A WAY THAT'S BASED ON SCIENCE, NOT ON OH, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA OR THAT'S NOT MY VALUE OR ANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T BELIEVE SCIENCE.
SCIENCE IS THE WAY THAT WE WILL KEEP PEOPLE SAFE, OUR WORLD SAFE.
IT WAS VERY HEARTENING TO SEE THE REALLY HIGH LEVEL OF THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING THAT THESE STUDENTS WERE DOING USING SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PROCESSES AND PRINCIPLES.
I JUST WANT TO DO A SHOUT OUT THAT WE DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF THIS REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE DO.
>> THANK YOU. CAROL LAWSON, I'M GOING TO STICK WITH THE BASKETBALL FAME TONIGHT.
CAROL LAWSON IS A BASKETBALL COACH FOR DUKE.
SHE HAS A SPEECH, I WON'T QUOTE IT EXACTLY CORRECTLY, BUT SHE BASICALLY SAYS, LIFE NEVER GETS EASIER.
I'M WATCHING THE INCREDIBLE STAFF AROUND ME.
WE'RE AT OUR LIMIT OF GETTING BETTER AT HARD RIGHT NOW AROUND THIS BUDGET SITUATION.
I'LL REMIND PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THE BALANCING ACT THAT WE ASKED THEM TO PROVIDE US WITH FEEDBACK ON $2,000,000 IN CUTS OUT OF A POSSIBLE OPTIONS OF THREE MILLION, BUT WE FACE 8.6.
WE WERE CLEAR IN THE INTRODUCTION TO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH BETTER WE CAN GET A HARD IF WE'RE FACED WITH 8.6 MILLION DOLLARS.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE GIVING IT ALL, AND THAT'S MY OPTIMISM. WE'RE SURROUNDED.
I ATTENDED THE BREAKFAST TOO, AND THE THING THAT STRUCK ME THERE, IN ADDITION TO BEING SURROUNDED AT MY TABLE WITH AN INCREDIBLE TEAM OF FOLKS I GET TO WORK WITH EVERY DAY ALSO, IT WAS A HUGE ROOMFUL OF PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION AT A TIME WHEN IT'S REALLY HARD.
OBVIOUSLY, THEIR FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS MEAN THE WORLD TO THE FOUNDATION AND TO THEIR SUPPORT FOR US, BUT ALSO JUST THAT THEY STAND ALONGSIDE US AND SUPPORT US IN PUBLIC EDUCATION MEANS A LOT.
I WANTED TO GIVE THAT SHOUT OUT.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GET BETTER AT HARD BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THINGS ARE GOING TO GET EASIER AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO.
>> THANK YOU. IN THIS REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING OF THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.